Piriformis syndrome treatment is not as complicated as one may think. The piriformis is a sneaky muscle that lies deep within the butt. It is hard to get to it, and since it stems from a nerve problem, it can make the injury seem much more serious than it is. That does not mean that the injury never can be severe because it can. But most of the time, if you know what you are doing piriformis syndrome, can be gone in a week if you treat it right.
Piriformis Syndrome Treatment – Anatomy
You will never be able to understand how the piriformis works and how to treat it until you get a grasp on the anatomy of the muscle. The piriformis is a deep muscle that pulls the outside of the femur towards the sacrum and produces external rotation. The problem with the muscle is that it is under the gluteus maximus which is a thick deck muscle that we also call the butt. The piriformis cannot be reached for treatment with a straight leg or just doing regular foam rolling.
To get to the piriformis, you need to put your femur into the external rotation and let it rest in that position. Once you are in this position, you can then approach the piriformis, but you must do it from the side. We will explain how to do this in depth later.
What Creates The Need for Piriformis Syndrome Treatment?
Piriformis syndrome is caused by the piriformis being inflamed or having a trigger point that affects the nearby sciatic nerve. Sciatica never runs down your entire leg, so if it is compressed, you can feel it all down your leg. The problem with this is the fact that it is hard to do anything when you can feel a burning sensation running down your leg. A lot of people mentally start to assume the worst when they feel piriformis syndrome kicking in.
The syndrome is uncommon amongst everyday people, but it can be common among athletes due to how easy it is to get tight muscles or trigger points when you train hard daily.
Symptoms for Needing Piriformis Syndrome Treatment
Piriformis syndrome almost always starts with a tingling or burning sensation in the buttocks low back area that starts to work its way down the legs.
Other Pain Points Include:
- Walking up and down stairs
- Applying pressure to the piriformis
- Trouble sitting for long periods of time
- There is no way to test for the pain
- Herniated discs can also cause the same pains
Piriformis Syndrome Treatment
If you are going to try and fix this problem on your own, you need a softball or a foam roller to sit on. To do this, you are going to have to take the leg on the side that is hurting. Put that ankle on the opposite knee so that you make a figure four shape. The get on the foam roller and roll your body to the side that hurts just slightly and then start foam rolling that area.
When you do this, you put your leg into the external rotation so that the piriformis muscle is exposed. When you get your future rotated it is essential that you relax though so that the muscle can be treated. Once you re able to relax sit on he tissue for as long as you need to for the pain to dissipate. Once the pain dissipates if you stand up you will more than likely feel better.
If this does not work, you need to go and see a healthcare provider. A sports medicine provider will be the best fir for this injury since this is mostly seen in athletes. They will be able to use many different approaches to help you get that nerve free and the piriformis muscle healthy again.
Prevention of Piriformis Syndrome
There is not a lot that you can do to prevent this problem. The best thing you can do is work on your posture and your technique. Also, avoid uneven surfaces can be helpful. The piriformis muscle is a stabilizer so anything that is uneven will make the muscle have to work harder. To prevent needing piriformis syndrome treatment, you have to make sure that you have a stable set of hips at all times.
Finding The Best Local Sports Medicine Providers for Piriformis Syndrome Treatment.
9INE POINT Health is the best place to start your search for a health care provider to help you stay healthy. The key to success as an athlete is staying healthy and making sure the injuries are dealt with appropriately. Any athlete is at more risk of needing piriformis syndrome treatment, and the key to success as an athlete is staying healthy.
9INE POINT Health lets you search for providers by type and skill. For example, you can look for a Physical Therapist with the capability of the Graston Technique. It does not matter what kind of provider you need, 9INE POINT Health can help you find them and help you to sort through their skills.
If you are unsure where to start your journey, 9INE POINT Health will ask you questions and help you figure out the best starting place. All you have to do is answer a few questions. From there 9INE POINT Health will connect you with the type of provider best suited for your needs. It does not matter if you are injured or making sure you don’t run into needing piriformis syndrome treatment.
The platform makes it easy to compare health providers as they are all given a 9INE POINT GAP Number. How do you decide which healthcare providers are the best? Reading bios and reviews is just not enough because you need more than that.
Skill Sets to Look for In Sports Medicine Providers When Dealing with Piriformis Syndrome Treatment
Skill sets are the things healthcare providers learn after they graduate. A healthcare provider can take courses and get certifications for different skill sets. These skill sets are valuable and help them approach injuries from different perspectives so that you can get the best help at the right time for any Piriformis syndrome treatment.
- Dry needling
- Acupuncture
- Joint Manipulation
- Active Release Technique
- Graston Technique
- Functional Movement Screen
- Fascial Stretching
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Athletic Trainer
- Sports Background
- And many more
