AskDrGoldberg.com 412-367-3778 3322 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, Pa 15237 Piriformis Syndrome A very common reason a person can have pain in the hip, pain in the center of the buttocks, or pain down the back of the leg, is due to a condition called the Piriformis Syndrome. The piriformis is a muscle which runs from the sacrum (a triangular bone at the base of the spine), to the outer hip bone (greater trochanter). The piriformis runs horizontally, with the sciatic nerve running vertically directly beneath it. The muscles in and around the gluteal region help with three areas 1.Rotation of the hip and leg; 2. Balance while one foot is off the ground; and 3. Stability for the pelvic region. This muscle is a prime candidate for repetitive motion injury (RMI). RMI occurs when a muscle is asked to perform beyond it’s level of capability, not given enough time to recover, and asked to perform again. The typical response from a muscle in this situation is to tighten, which is a defensive response of the muscle. One of the symptoms of piriformis syndrome would be pain in and around the outer hip bone. The tightness of the muscle produces increased tension between the tendon and the bone which produces either direct discomfort and pain or an increased tension in the joint producing bursitis. The bursitis is caused by an elevation of stress and tension within that joint. Another symptom suggesting piriformis syndrome would be pain directly in the center of the buttocks. Another symptom …
A yoga pose called gomukhasana is demostrated that will aid in relieving sciatic nerve pain caused by a tight piriformis muscle.
Many people diagnosed with “sciatica” – pain that runs from their buttocks to their feet – may actually have piriformis syndrome. Dr. Aaron Filler of the Institute for Nerve Medicine in Santa Monica, California (www.nervemed.com), explains the key differences between these two afflictions, their respective treatments, and how piriformis syndrome can be alleviated with open-MR guided injections as opposed to painful, invasive back surgery.