Muscles
Obturator Internus Trigger Points
Symptom Area: Lower Torso
Obturator Internus Trigger Points are explored here through their location and referred pain pattern. Muscle knots is an everyday term used for tender muscular spots; myofascial pain describes pain involving muscle and its surrounding connective tissue. Deep hip external rotator; influences pelvic floor.
Where you feel it
When the Obturator Internus holds active trigger points, you usually notice it as menstrual problems, pelvic pain and painful intercourse. Where the pain spreads: Deep pelvic pain, perineal and rectal pain — frequent contributor to chronic pelvic pain syndromes. What often sets it off: Prolonged sitting, cycling, post-surgical scarring, pelvic floor dysfunction.
Overview
Deep hip external rotator; influences pelvic floor. Trigger points here are common in everyday and athletic populations and frequently contribute to the referred pain patterns described below.
Trigger point locations
Inside the pelvis, palpable via internal exam by trained clinicians.
Referred pain pattern
Deep pelvic pain, perineal and rectal pain — frequent contributor to chronic pelvic pain syndromes.
Palpation & testing
Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course. Reproduction of the patient's familiar pain on palpation supports involvement.
Common causes
Prolonged sitting, cycling, post-surgical scarring, pelvic floor dysfunction.
Self-care & clinical treatment
Pelvic floor coordination, hip mobility. Clinically: internal release by trained pelvic floor physiotherapists.
Treatment protocol
For Obturator Internus, the general protocol applies: sustained pressure release on the taut band, then stretch and active movement in the newly gained range.
Position and palpation: Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course.
Regional precaution for clinicians: In the flank and abdominal wall the kidney (behind the twelfth rib and the quadratus lumborum), the abdominal viscera and the lower lung fields are the structures at risk.
Primary Symptoms
Secondary Symptoms
Often confused with
These muscles cause the same primary symptoms, so they are checked together:
Related muscles in this region
Related articles
References
- • Travell & Simons — Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction
Medically reviewed by: Marco Aruffo — physiotherapist since 2006, specialised in myofascial pain · Last reviewed:
