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What is it?
Piriformis syndrome is irritation of the sciatic nerve, usually compression by the piriformis.
The piriformis is a small, deep hip rotator that sits on top of the nerve.
It is also known as a type of sciatica.
Nerves tend to be very sensitive structures and once irritated, the following symptoms may be exhibited:
- Numbness, pins and needles or tingling down the leg
- The pain can present as sharp and shooting or a strong burning ache down the leg
- Tightness and spasm of the piriformis is also common
What is the cause?
Usually it is one of the three causes:
1. Overuse
Activities with repetitive hip movements such as running, cycling or step ups may lead to this condition.
The activities themselves aren’t necessarily the sole cause; factors such as training volume, i.e. huge progressions in activity in a short period of time are the contributing reasons.
2. Underuse
Conversely, a more sedentary lifestyle can also be a cause of this condition.
The glutes are amongst one of the biggest and strongest muscles in the body; when under-activated which is also known as ‘gluteal amnesia’, this leads to weakness and loss of muscle mass.
Jobs spent primarily in sitting are a risk factor; desk based roles and drivers.
3. Direct trauma to the gluteal region
Important note: it’s very important to distinguish between sciatic pain that originates from the lumbar spine or the gluteal region – this must be ruled out before coming to the diagnosis of piriformis syndrome. This is something your physiotherapist will do.
What can be done?
Physiotherapy can play a huge role in recovery:
- Hands on physiotherapy: soft tissue releases, dry needling, muscle energy techniques
- Strengthening exercises: both specifically targeting the glute medius and overall hip strength
- Stretching or ball release
- Hip range of motion exercises
If you have any questions or concerns regarding piriformis syndrome, please get in touch and we can connect you with one of our friendly, experienced physiotherapists who can help you out.
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