About Piriformis Syndrome (PS)
PS usually affects one side and more common in middle-aged adults and in females. It is a painful musculoskeletal condition in which the piriformis muscle in the deep buttock tightens, spasms, or becomes inflamed and compresses the sciatic nerve, producing “false sciatica.” This leads to buttock pain that can radiate down the back of the leg toward the calf or foot, often described as shooting, burning, or aching, sometimes with numbness or tingling.
Symptoms
Typical symptoms include deep buttock pain worsened by sitting, running, climbing stairs, or hip rotation; difficulty sitting for long periods; and sciatic like radiation without significant lumbar spine findings. Motor weakness is usually mild, if present.
Known Causes
- Primary: Primary causes involve local piriformis muscle problems: overuse (running, prolonged sitting, driving), spinal-pelvic instability, leg length discrepancy, microtrauma or falls to the buttock, muscle spasm, tightness, inflammation, or scarring.
- Secondary: Secondary causes include anatomical variants where the sciatic nerve passes through or around the muscle, post surgical changes, or space occupying lesions near the piriformis that increase pressure on the nerve.
Schedule a $69 New Patient Appointment at McPherson Chiropractic Center
Schedule a $69 New Patient Appointment at McPherson Chiropractic Center
