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No, I’m not writing to you this month about that friend or family member who sometimes drives you crazy. Instead, I want to tell you about a literal pain in the butt that can be debilitating if it’s not treated.
This pain results from the Piriformis Syndrome, a condition in which the piriformis muscle – located deep in your buttocks – irritates the sciatic nerve. Imagine this: your pelvic and buttock area serve as a major torso-to-legs intersection for all types of muscles, bones, and nerves. The pirifomis plays a key role in leg mobility. By connecting the bottom of the spine to the femur, it works with hip rotators to allow us to rotate our legs in a circular motion.
The sciatic nerve, which also runs from the spine but continues down the leg, weaves its way between the piriformis and the ilium, which most of us know as the butterfly-wing-shaped hipbone. And in some people (about 15%), the sciatic nerve runs through the piriformis. If the piriformis gets inflamed or swells up from even a minor injury, it pushes the sciatic nerve against the ilium. As for that 15% of people, the swollen muscle could be said to strangle the nerve. This can lead to intense pain in your buttocks.
As for your legs, sometimes the swelling of the piriformis is so minor that the only symptom you’ll feel in your leg is that “pins and needles” that we’re all familiar with after bumping our “funny bone” or laying on an arm the wrong way. But other times, the nerve is so severely squeezed that the leg pain can also be intense
Just how does your piriformis get swollen, anyway?
Well, for those of you who donned ice skates or skis this winter, a simple fall on ice or snow could have done it. Poor posture or repeatedly moving your hips out of their typical range of motion might also tighten your piriformis. (Watch your form if you’re a golfer!) But ironically, it also affects the less-injury prone and those who might appear to be the picture of health. Runners, especially, work this muscle extremely hard every time they hit the pavement. Even some dancers and bicyclists can overexert their piriformis if they’re practicing too much or pedaling too hard.
The most common treatment for Piriformis Syndrome involves simple stretches. And believe it or not, we can stretch the piriformis with a simple pose that we’ve all been doing since we were kids. Simply sit cross-legged on the floor. This by itself does wonders to open up your hip muscles. Now, I know that some of us can still sit “Indian style” more easily than others. So for those of us who are less limber, you can do a similar stretch from a sitting position. Just cross your legs so that one ankle is resting on the opposite knee. Press down gently on your knee and lean forward until you feel the stretch in your hips.
Next time you visit Mark Gerard’s Therapeutic Massage, let me know if you have a pain in your butt or a tingling in your legs. Because massage techniques can also stretch out and relax your piriformis.
Have more questions about Piriformis Syndrome? Be sure to ask during your next appointment!
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