Piriformis Syndrome and Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is the longest of the whole body. The piriformis muscle is one of only two muscles that connect the legs to the spine. helps with externally rotating your leg, pulling it out to the side and extending it backward. It also helps to stabilize the hip joint. These two innocent functionaries of the body can get together to create two of our most common and miserable ailments: Piriformis syndrome and sciatica.

The piriformis is a short muscle that attaches on the upper portion of the greater trochanter, a knob of bone at the top of the outer thigh. It comes across the back of the pelvis to attach on the front or inside portion of the sacrum. The sciatic nerve is formed by five nerve roots from the lower spine and enters the leg by exiting the pelvis through a space called the greater sciatic foramen. It descends along the back of the thigh until it splits into the tibial and common peroneal nerve, which innervates the muscles of the lower leg. The tibial nerve goes on to innervate the muscles of the foot.

Sciatica is a condition where the sciatic nerve is compressed due to an issue of spinal alignment and integrity such as herniated discs spinal stenosis

Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle goes into spasm and irritates or compresses the sciatic nerve, which passes directly behind it. In an unfortunate 10- 15% of the population the piriformis muscle is pierced directly by the sciatic nerve. This isn’t a problem in and of itself; problems will only arise if the muscle becomes injured or goes into spasm.

Pain, weakness, numbness, and other discomfort along the path of the sciatic nerve -- often accompanied by low back pain as well as a shooting pain down the outside and back of the leg are the usual symptoms of either sciatica or piriformis syndrome. In severe cases the pain can radiate down into the heel, which is the ultimate destination of the sciatic nerve after it divides.