Piriformis syndrome symptoms & treatment

Piriformis syndrome is caused by repetitive motion in the legs, making it more common in runners. Your piriformis is a small muscle deep within the buttock that keeps your hips and pelvis stable during activity and assists in rotating the hip and turning the leg and foot outward. It’s situated diagonally, with the sciatic nerve running vertically directly beneath it. In some people the sciatic nerve runs through the muscle. When the piriformis is overused, it can tighten up, causing buttock pain, cramping or spasms as well as pain in the low back and down the leg.

At Aurora Health Care, we offer deep experience in helping runners overcome piriformis syndrome symptoms. Your care includes a meticulous evaluation, which helps you get an accurate diagnosis. Treatments often include nonsurgical options such as physical therapy. You can trust our experts to help you get back to the activities you love.

Get piriformis syndrome care from sports medicine experts

It can be disheartening when injuries like piriformis syndrome disrupt your active lifestyle. Sports medicine experts at Aurora understand this and work hard to quickly get to the source of your pain so you can get on the road to recovery.

Highlights of our program include:

• Broad range of treatments and services: Piriformis syndrome may require one or more specialized treatments, including massage and physical therapy, which you can easily access here at Aurora. We also offer and special services, including strength training and running assessments, to lower your risk of reinjury.

• Integrated care: When you come to Aurora, you can get all the care you need in one program. Our doctors and physical therapists work together to coordinate your care and management of piriformis syndrome symptoms so you can just focus on getting better.

• An understanding of your needs: Our sports health team of more than 200 doctors, physical therapists and athletic trainers specializes in caring for the unique needs of active people. We take time to get to know about the activities you enjoy and events that led up to your injury. This information helps us deliver care that meets your individual needs.

• Care that fits your busy schedule: You can see a physical therapist or athletic trainer for a free injury evaluation within one business day. Many of our doctors also offer same-day care several times a week. Get sports health care.

Health care resources for piriformis syndrome

• We get to the source of the pain and offer personalized care recommendations. Request a free injury evaluation
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Piriformis syndrome symptoms

Most people experiencing piriformis syndrome symptoms experience low back pain or buttock pain, numbness or a tingling sensation. In some cases, simple motions like sitting, walking up stairs or applying gentle pressure near the piriformis muscle can trigger a jolt of pain that can stop you in your tracks.

Is your hip and knee pain cause for concern?

Hip and knee pain doesn’t have to interfere with your life. Our hip and knee pain quiz evaluates your knees and hips, gauges the severity of any issues and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

Take the hip and knee pain quiz

Piriformis syndrome tests & imaging

We perform a complete exam to get your treatment off on the right track. Find out more about orthopedic diagnosis at Aurora.

Your exam will also include a careful evaluation to rule out other conditions affecting the legs and lower back, including:

• Herniated disc:This happens when discs – jelly-like structures that cushion your spine bones – slip out of place, causing buttock pain, numbness and tingling that can extend all down your leg into your foot.
• Sciatica: This condition results from pressure on the sciatic nerve (the large nerve that runs from the lower back to the foot).
• Sprained hamstring muscle: The hamstring muscles run down the back of your thigh. When you sprain these muscles, often during a running sprint or other quick movement, you’ll feel a sudden, sharp pain in the area. (Read more about sprains and strains.)
• Lower back pain: Back pain most often happens in the lower back, or the five vertebrae (referred to as L1-L5) in the lumbar region. The first attack of low back pain usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 50.

Treating piriformis syndrome

The first step in treating piriformis syndrome is rest. We let you know how long you need to rest before it is medically safe to move forward with other treatments.

The treatments that are right for you depend on the severity of the injury and the activities you enjoy doing. We plan treatments to help you make a smooth transition back to your favorite activities.

Your treatment may include:

• Physical therapy: We help you strengthen the piriformis and supporting muscles with the help of special exercises. Physical therapy may also help groups of muscles work better together, reducing strain on the piriformis. Find out more about orthopedic physical therapy.

• Massage: Our licensed massage therapists reduce pain and help stretch the piriformis muscles with gentle massage techniques. Find out more about massage therapy.

• Chiropractic care: When the bones of your pelvis are not in their natural position, the piriformis muscle may work harder than it needs to. Hands-on chiropractic care techniques guide the bones back into place.

Causes of piriformis syndrome

The exact causes of piriformis syndrome are unknown. Suspected causes include:

• Muscle spasm in the piriformis muscle, either because of irritation in the piriformis muscle itself, or irritation of a nearby structure such as the sciatic nerve or sacroiliac joint
• Tightening of the muscle in response to injury or spasm
• Swelling of the piriformis muscle due to injury or spasm

Any one or a combination of these problems can affect the piriformis muscle (causing buttock pain) and may affect the sciatic nerve, causing pain, tingling or numbness in the thigh, calf or foot.

Preventing piriformis syndrome

We also offer special services to prevent symptoms of piriformis syndrome from coming back.

We offer special services to prevent symptoms of piriformis syndrome from coming back. These services include:

• Running assessments: Our team includes physical therapists who specialize in helping people achieve better running form. We detect and correct problems, like not using the muscles in the backs of your legs (hamstrings) in ways that could lead to future running injuries. Find out more about our performance running program.

• Strength training: Our Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists® help you get stronger in just a few weeks. This group training program helps you build strength in your lower back and legs, which may reduce your risk for piriformis syndrome and reinjury. Find out more about our sports performance programs.