Gluteal amnesia… yes it’s a thing. And when your glutes turn off and stop doing their job it can cause havoc in your body and literally a pain in your butt!
Piriformis syndrome is when the piriformis muscle compresses on the sciatic nerve that passes underneath it causing pain in the buttocks, hip and can radiate down the thigh or hamstring. Pain can be felt during and after sitting or walking or running. If not managed, the pain can worsen affecting sleep and become chronic.
How did this happen?
The gluteus medius and maximus both cross over the hip joint and attach to the sacrum, pelvis and femur. It acts on the hip joint and stabilizes the pelvis. Lack of movement or too much sitting compresses the glutes and inhibits the nerves that help to get the glutes to engage.
The Glutes main role is hip extension and external hip rotation. If the glutes “check out”, the other external rotators are called into action. Who are they?
1. Piriformis
2. Obturator internus
3. Obturator externus
4. Superior gemellus
5. Inferior gemellus
6. Quadratus femoris
7. Psoas
8. Iliacus
9. Sartorius
10. Biceps femoris
A mouthful right?! So when any of these muscles overwork, trying to do the job of the massive and powerful glute, they get upset. They get tired and tell you by hurting. Pain is simply your body’s way of telling you “something isn’t right”.
The Piriformis is the first place to check but typically, if you have an ache, throb or feeling of heat in your side hip, buttocks and possibly radiating down your leg, you need to check any muscle related to external hip rotation.
Step 1 is to release the piriformis. Step 2 is to reactivate and strengthen the gluteus maximus and medius to build more strength and stability for your hip.
The video below will give you some suggestions on exercises. If you have pain, you will need to be DILIGENT at doing these exercises. In addition, look to what may be the cause of this issue. Are you sitting too much? How are you sitting? If you are a runner or a walker, do you take care of your tissue after your run to support your muscles returning to their natural state?
Questions? Send them my way. Email linda@twconline.ca .