Often referred to as “false sciatica” piriformis syndrome is a form of sciatica caused by the piriformis muscle. The piriformis muscle originates from the sacrum and inserts into the greater trochanter of the femur and is located beneath the gluteous maximus.
In a majority of the population the sciatic nerve runs along side the piriformis muscle but in approximately 20% of people the sciatic nerve placement can vary to where the nerve is under or even though the muscle fibers.
Personally I don’t care for the term “false sciatica,” anyone who has ever experienced sciatica pain would never call what they are feeling “false” because it is very real pain and discomfort. That is why I prefer to call it the “other” sciatica.
Sciatica pain is a sharp pain that runs from the sacrum or glutes down the back of the leg usually stopping above the knee. I find that many of my clients with this condition usually have it on the right side, often these are people who have a very long commutes to work each day, do a lot of job related travel, or sit for prolonged periods of time behind a desk. Some people experience the sciatica on both sides.
I often tell clients who are going to be taking a road trip that they need to plan to stop every two hours and get out and stretch their legs and walk a bit before continuing on their trip. For people who work at a desk I recommend they also get up and walk around every couple of hours when ever possible.
Regular massage, especially glute massage and stretching can help relieve the pain and relax the piriformis muscle. You can also do self massage with a lacrosse ball or soft ball under your glute and roll on it to help relax the muscle.
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