Muscles
Piriformis
A common mimic of true sciatica — buttock pain radiating down the leg, sometimes with neural symptoms.
Overview
Runs from the anterior sacrum to the greater trochanter. External rotator of the hip in extension, abductor in hip flexion. The sciatic nerve passes beneath (or in some people, through) the muscle, which is why trigger points and tightness can produce neural-like symptoms.
Trigger point locations
Belly of the muscle deep in the buttock, midway between the sacrum and the greater trochanter.
Referred pain pattern
Deep buttock pain, sacroiliac region, sometimes down the posterior thigh in a sciatica-like pattern but typically stopping above the knee.
Palpation & testing
Side-lying with the hip flexed and adducted, palpate deep to the gluteus maximus. FAIR test (flexion, adduction, internal rotation) often reproduces symptoms.
Common causes
Prolonged sitting on hard surfaces, sudden change in running volume, hip impingement, sacroiliac dysfunction.
Self-care & clinical treatment
Figure-4 stretch, ball release, hip control work. Clinically: needling, soft-tissue release, address contributing pelvic mechanics.
Symptoms commonly linked
References
- • Travell & Simons, Vol. 2