Little known, the piriformis muscle is nevertheless essential. This is a small muscle located deep in the buttock behind the gluteus maximus that begins at the bottom of the spine and ends at the upper surface of the femur. It is very important because it allows you to perform lower body movements by helping to rotate the hip and turn the leg and foot outward.
The piriformis muscle is therefore very mobilized and can irritate or compress the sciatic nerve, causing pain in the buttock and along the back of the leg. This is called piriformis syndrome.
Causes and Symptoms: What Causes Piriformis Syndrome?
“Piriformis syndrome is an inflammation linked to sciatic nerve compression as it passes under the piriformis muscle“, confirms Monia Chaieb, DO osteopath. “It can be caused by a sports injury or be linked to the presence of a cyst or tumor. Its causes can also be functional and be linked to repetitive movement which can lead to excessive contraction of the piriformis muscle. This is the case for prolonged sitting and legs crossed during work postures”she adds.
Piriformis syndrome manifests itself “by pain in the buttock and/or hip that may radiate along the path of the sciatica“, adds Monia Chaieb. It can also be accompanied by a feeling of tingling or numbness in the area but also by a reduction in the range of motion of the hip. These symptoms are often triggered when the hip rises. stairs, after prolonged sitting or carrying heavy loads.
Piriformis syndrome: how to treat pain?
The diagnosis of this syndrome is often made by collecting information on the person’s medical history and their professional or sporting activity. It is also based on carrying out a clinical examination based on observation of the hip and legs in order to check if the movement causes an increase in lower back or lower limb pain. Medical imaging tests cannot confirm the diagnosis but exclude other causes of this pain.
“Treatments are based on manual therapies such as physiotherapy And osteopathy if the cause of piriformis syndrome is functional and on medical treatments in other cases“, indicates Monia Chaieb. Analgesics, anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants are thus prescribed to reduce pain. Infiltrations can also be carried out in the presence of significant pain but a surgical operation is rarely performed.
Prevention is based onon manual therapies and regular physical practice based in particular on stretching“, explains Monia Chaieb. A postural assessment can also help determine possible causes of bodily imbalances in posture and movements. Finally, specialists recommend avoiding practicing sports such as cycling or running and so-called asymmetrical sports such as tennis, golf, or fencing which increase the overuse of the piriformis muscle.
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