If exercise has become a literal pain in the butt, you may be suffering from piriformis syndrome. The piriformis is a small muscle that is located deep within the hip and buttocks region. It is responsible for lateral rotation of the hip, and is...
Your piriformis is one of several small straplike muscles that sits between your glute muscles and the bones of your pelvis. If the piriformis tightens and shortens it can compress your sciatic nerve, causing pain, tingling and numbness down the...
Located deep within the buttocks muscles, the piriformis muscle helps stabilize the hips. Working with other hip rotator muscles, the piriformis helps turn the hips and thighs outwards along with helping with sudden directional changes. Keeping...
The piriformis, a small cone-shaped muscle in the gluteal area, is responsible for lateral, or external, rotation of the femur. It also acts as a hip stabilizer and the sciatic nerve runs through or near the muscle. The sciatic nerve is the...
The piriformis syndrome is the constant irritation of the sciatic nerve along the piriformis muscle, which lies deep in your lower buttocks and runs parallel to the nerve. This often occurs on one side of the hip and causes inflammation to the...
Piriformis syndrome -- tight piriformis muscles that are located in your buttocks -- can result from prolonged sitting, exercising after being inactive for a while and increasing your exercise routine too quickly. These tight muscles can put...
The piriformis muscle is a deep muscle of the buttocks. It is deeper than the glutes. This muscle can wreak havoc on your back and pelvis when tight because it attaches to the outside of the hip and the sacrum. The sciatic nerve runs right below...
Incorrect posture, and lack of muscle strengthening or use, can cause tightness in the piriformis muscle. One of a group of muscles that rotate the hip outward, the piriformis is located deep in the buttocks. A postural distortion called swayback...
The piriformis muscle is a small muscle in the lower back that connects the lower spine to the top of the thigh bone. When this muscle becomes tight, it can cause pain in your lower back, buttocks and even your legs. Stretching the pirirformis...
The piriformis muscle is located in the back of the buttocks and lower back, normally crossing over the sciatic nerve. In some cases, the sciatic nerve actually runs through the piriformis muscle, causing pain and irritation in the lower back and...
The piriformis is a small muscle on the posterior aspect of the hip joint that has the potential to cause problems when it becomes unnecessarily tightened. The largest nerve in the body, the sciatic nerve, runs very close to the piriformis, and in...
Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle contracts or becomes inflamed and adds pressure to the sciatic nerve, resulting in a sharp pain that radiates from the buttocks to the legs. Piriformis syndrome may be caused an injury or fall...
The piriformis muscle sits underneath the gluteal, or butt, muscles and runs to the outside of the thigh. The sciatic nerve runs underneath the pirifomis muscle, or occasionally through the muscle. Swelling of the piriformis muscle can aggravate...
When the pain of sciatica begins to act up, it can be debilitating for many people. Everyday tasks such as bending over and climbing stairs become a challenge. Often, your piriformis muscle is at the root of sciatica pain. Sometimes, performing...
The piriformis muscle is a deep hip muscle that runs beneath your buttocks and along the sciatic nerve, which originates from your lower spine and branches off to your legs. Stretching the piriformis prevents tightness in the hips and irritation...
The piriformis muscle is located deep in the buttock, and connects the sacrum to the top of the femur, or thigh bone. Its function is to roll the leg out to the side. Piriformis syndrome is pain deep in the buttock caused when the piriformis...
Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle, which lies behind your hip joint, aggravates the sciatic nerve, causing pain that radiates down the back of your leg. Physical therapy is an essential part of any treatment plan for the...
Unless you stretch properly, resistance exercises for the legs, runs, walks or aerobics classes can lead to tight gluteal muscles and pain running down the back of the leg. Piriformis syndrome is a collection of symptoms that result when the...
The piriformis muscle is located in the gluteal region of the leg and is responsible for lateral rotation of the leg, or rotating the knee outward, and stabilizing the leg during movement, such as walking and running. The piriformis also sits over...
The tailbone, located at the bottom of the spinal column, is known in anatomical terms as the coccyx. Pain found in this area is the result of overuse, trauma or tightness in the neighboring muscles -- which include the glutes, adductors and...
If you have pain, numbness or weakness in one side of your butt--that may radiate down through your leg--you might have a problem with your sciatic nerve. The constant pain in your butt can make even the simplest daily activities uncomfortable or...
You can decrease the sharp burning pain of sciatica by stretching the piriformis muscle. Tautness of this muscle pinches the sciatic nerve and creates symptoms in the buttocks that radiate into the leg. According to author and stretching expert...
The sciatic nerve is made up of various nerves exiting the bottom of the spine. Pressure from surrounding muscles, tendons and bones can cause pain and numbness in the buttocks and legs. Muscles in the buttocks spasm and produce pressure on the...
The piriformis muscle is also known as the "tailor's muscle," named for the cross-legged pose tailors traditionally take when sewing. The muscle starts at the outer portion of your hip and wraps around your thigh to connect at your knee. The...
Sciatica pain may come from tight muscles in the lower back and piriformis. Other conditions that require strength training exercises may also cause sciatica, but if tension is the culprit, then stretching exercises for the hamstrings, lower back...
Tight buttocks muscles can throw off your posture, restrict range of motion through your hips and increase your risk of developing injuries. They can also lead to pain throughout your lower body; the muscles of your buttocks surround your sciatic...
Sciatica is inflammation and irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs down the back of the leg from the hip to the sole of the foot. According to MayoClinic.com, sciatica is usually the symptom of a deeper problem such as a herniated disc....
Everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, sitting and driving tighten muscles in the hips and pelvis. Because they attach to the lower spine, these muscles may pull the vertebrae and sacrum out of position or cause lower back muscles to...
Internal rotation of the hip is when you twist your hips inward to bring your knees toward the midline of your body. Internally rotating your hips as you stretch targets your hip rotators and hip flexors. Tight hip flexors and hip rotators can...
Tightness in the back may actually result from referred pain in your upper legs. Find out how to treat back tightness from a certified personal trainer in this health video.
Lower back pain is most likely caused from an injury in another location. Learn how to treat back pain by stretching from a certified personal trainer in this health video.
Learn How to Stretch to Prevent Back Strain in this free chiropractic treatment series from our experienced chiropractor.
