Piriformis Syndrome

               “My butt hurts !”
               I usually see anywhere from 3 to 6 cases of piriformis spasm in a single day, sometimes more.
              If the patient complains of but arc pain with potential radiation of pain to their groin and to behind the knee on that side, chances are that you are dealing with a piriformis spasm.
             The piriformis is a slender muscle that attaches to the lower lumbar spine then attaches to the top of the femur. I call it a muscle that helps us balance and stay upright.
             A piriformis spasm can start as a sharp gnawing pain in the affected “butt” and can be so severe the person can’t walk, frozen in their tracks. If it spasms enough, it can trap a branch of the sciatic nerve that causes symptoms of pain in the groin, hip, and behind the knee on the affected side. The pain can also be localized to the buttock as well. Knowing the radicular pattern of pain can help clinch the diagnosis.

             Some people can naturally find a position, albeit awkward looking, to shorten the piriformis so it can relax.

            By the way, the way to find in the piriformis trigger point is by calculating the intersection points drawn from the ASIS, PSIS, sacrum and the mid iliac crest.

            Seems confusing? It can be.

            I’ll make it easier for you… All you have to do is draw an “X” on the patient’s buttocks (a symmetrical X) and the trigger point is just above the intersection of the “X”. It doesn’t matter how big or small their “But” is, this method is easy and foolproof. Wasn’t that easier?

             Practitioners will find easy ways to diagnose and treat piriformis spasm in the members section.