Do you have a pain in the butt?

Are you experiencing a pain in the butt? This is a common symptom of piriformis syndrome. Piriformis syndrome is a painful condition of the musculoskeletal system involving the piriformis muscle pressing on the sciatic nerve in the buttock region. It is characterized by a combination of symptoms including buttock pain, hip pain, or pain in the back of the leg that can be dull or sharp.

What Causes Piriformis Syndrome?

Piriformis syndrome can be caused by anything that makes the piriformis muscle press on the sciatic nerve. This is often triggered by a combination of factors like muscle tightness, injury, muscular strength and length imbalances, or repetitive activities that irritate the piriformis muscle and sciatic nerve. This is also a common problem during pregnancy and post-partum stages. The most common causes of piriformis syndrome are inflammation in the piriformis or tissues around it, muscle spasms, and scarring in the muscle.

How Can Physical Therapy Help?

Physical therapy can help manage symptoms by addressing these underlying causes, including improving flexibility, strengthening supporting muscles, and reducing nerve irritation.  This can be done through targeted stretching and strengthening exercises of the surrounding muscles and manual therapy techniques to help relax tight muscles and reduce inflammation.  Physical therapist can also help educate the patient on ways to help manage and prevent piriformis syndrome with lifestyle modifications and to help understand triggers for irritation.