Piriformis Syndrome

The piriformis muscle lies deep in the buttocks and rotates the leg outward. When the muscle shortens or contracts the sciatic nerve, which lies underneath the muscle, may be compressed or irritated and cause pain in the buttocks and along the sciatic nerve (down the back of the thigh). Piriformis syndrome can be caused by overuse of the muscle while sitting (biking, rowing), running, flat feet or by having tight adductor muscles (inside your thigh).

A stretching and strengthening program provided by a physiotherapist can reduce the pain and avoid injury recurrence. Deep tissue massage, ultrasound and acupuncture may also be utilized to decrease the pain and relax the muscle.