Piriformis Syndrome or Piriformis Arthritis is a condition that affects the piriformis muscle and the gluteal muscles of the buttocks. The piriformis is a muscle which runs behind the thigh and helps to rotate the hip during locomotion. This muscle has three heads which are separated by two protuberant bony prominence on the posterior aspect of the joint. When one or more of these heads become overstretched, this causes severe pain and difficulty in walking and running which can result in a runner or a walker to suddenly lose their ability to run or walk without stretching the muscles of the legs. This is when a patient first notices the symptoms of Piriformis Syndrome or Piriformis Arthritis. However this pain can be treated with the help of a doctor, but it is always advised to start a treatment as early as possible so that any potential damage can be prevented from happening.The most common treatment of piriformis syndrome or arthritis is through a type of physical therapy called Piriformis Exercise or Piriformis Massage. This kind of treatment usually involves an exercise regime which will stretch the affected muscle and warm up the area before moving on to exercising the posterior side of the joint. Another method that is used for treating the affected muscle is through Piriformis Release, which is also a type of physical therapy. This method involves exercising the affected leg in an extended position such that the foot is placed on a flat surface such as a table and is raised up off the floor by pulling the ankle backwards into the leg.Another common treatment is the Piriformis Tenderness and Piriformis Release. This treatment is based on the principle that muscle spasms in the piriformis cause the nerve compression in the lower back. After performing Key Reference and triggering points therapy the therapist then stimulates the nerve compression by applying pressure to the muscle using a stethoscope. After releasing the pressure the patient should get a good nights rest and work on rebuilding their piriformis muscle to eliminate the tenderness and pain.
