Piriformis Syndrome

Posted , 7 users are following.

Good morning,  physio yesterday said I have Piriformis Syndrome, and that is the pain I have down my legs and in my bottom.... 

I have to have plenty of massage!!!! book my next available appointment.... 20th January2017.... this is a joke surely...

​So now looking at booking an appointment with a Sports Therapist as want this to go away. 

​Physio gave me a sheet of different exercises which are impossible to do as it means crossing legs in the air, and twisting over..

​Has anyone else had this and what was the outcome have read up and do not fancy some of the medical procedures... more operations!

​Thank you all, the new hips are wonderful other than this syndrome.

1 like, 19 replies

19 Replies

  • Posted

    hi elaine, 

    so sorry to hear this ... how was it diagnosed?  what are the symptoms?

    I can't answer your question though - hopefully a forum member here will be able to ..

    no, don't do the exercises if you are not comfortable with them ... 

    How long post-op are you?  

    let us know how you are getting on okay?

    big warm hug

    renee

     

    • Posted

      Hi Renee

      ?Well they thought it was bursitis, but the pain was in the wrong place.   I have been suffering pain when bending and standing up again.  Also when sitting felt like I was sitting into myself.   The scar area is fine, but deep pain in my buttom sitting, standing, also just trying to move.   Also very tight, thigh muscles, and pain down the legs.   Not severe pain but it was there.  

      ?The physio when through lots of different test on muscles in the area until she found the tender spot, I nearly hit the ceiling, she then followed the line of this muscle testing its pain level.   Stretch my legs to following how far the inflamation had gone down.   So because this muscle is deep inside it is like you have a lump which you sink into when sitting, sitting on hard chairs is painful.  

      ?Now back on meds sad  which I had cut down to night time but need to take anti inflammatories which I am not happy with.  

      ?I had bi lateral THR on 11th August so 4months post op no restrictions. 

      ?I have emailed my Surgeon as being 200 mile round trip to see him and no trains could not face the car for that long and sitting on the M25.... 

      ?I have to get a tennis ball and sit on that in the painful areas!!!! and find someone to give me regular massage.

      ?If this does not work then it maybe I will need surgery to the area to release the pressure on the muscle.. 

      ?Thank you Renee.... I am able to do much more than I could pre op,  hips are not painful it is just this one area... could have been inflammed before the op and it has just got worse because of the way we walk and recover....

       

    • Posted

      wow ... that is a very thorough examination ... at least you know where this pain is coming from and can work with it --- 

      this is what I expect from a physical therapist - that they listen to you and continue to look for the reason why you are in pain .

      So sorry that you have to wait so long to see her again -

      the tennisball thing works on so many things .. 

      it'll be alright, elaine ... don't worry about surgery (yet) ... 

       

    • Posted

      Renee, having undergone 37 knee ops and now they need replacing once I am fully recovered and my husband is through his next lot of Cancer treatment this can be planned...   my problems are nothing compared to many going through different problems.
    • Posted

      Hi Elaine,

      I have suffered with this for seventeen years . Please do not compare yourself to me. Mine was caused by something entirely different . Firstly, I purchased a coccyx cushion. As you know, the muscle is in spasm and the pain is felt within the bottom. After hip replacement I can't carry out any of the stretching or twisting exercises instead of a ball, I make a fist with my knuckles into the muscle.Always firstly warm the muscle. I use a hot water bottle.You will soon get to know the trigger spots along the muscle. Lay on your back on a bed; place your fist onto the muscle. I start at the top, just below the waist.Bring your knees up so that your knuckles dig into the muscle. It hurts Grit your teeth and count to ten. Continue along the muscle. Sometimes, if the spasm is really bad, I will lie on a paperweight. You mention the M25. Are you anywhere near Guildford ? If so, I can give you the name of someone who, after seven long agonising years, gave me my life back.

      I sincerely hope this will help you a little.

      God Bless .

      Maureen x

    • Posted

      Thank you unfortunately I am in Eastbourne.... and at 56yrs old(young) for this town am way down the list for extra physio.....

       

  • Posted

    Sorry to hear the complications .,I hope you Physio gets it all sorted out without any more surgery. 
  • Posted

    I'm a sports physiotherapist Elaine, it's simply a tight muscle and your receiving all the correct treatment. Many people have this problem without even knowing so you have a good physiotherapist xx 😘

    • Posted

      ❤️Just give it more time and work with a good PT. I had this first THR. I took almost 8-9 months to get my gluteus and balance back. 

      I dont know know what happened to my caboose it was totally gone. Takes time to get muscles in legs Bach and I will have revision to look to next month. 

  • Posted

    I agree that some of the standard exercises for this would not be a good idea post hip replacement. But hamstring stretches are helpful, and a number of them are actually good for use with hip replacement anyway. If you have a look on page 8 of the link here http://www.rebalancemd.com/patient/downloads/THR_Exercise_Guide.pdf you'll find some easy stretches that will help you on your way until you can get in with the sports therapist. And all designed for hip patients so you have nothing to worry about. I find the one which they say involves standing on a book a lot - but I use a low block because I would never stand on a book! 

     

    • Posted

      Thank you beth, any help much appreciated.... I would never stand on a book, my husband would not be happy being a avid reader, and the only books we have are his collection of Wilbur Smith..

      ​So far everyone I have phoned are fully booked this side of Xmas!!! oh well I will just plod on with it all.

    • Posted

      I'm not fully booked Elaine 😂😂😂 , which is just as well as I'm not much use to anyone at the moment 😂. Just keep seeing your physiotherapist if you can xx

    • Posted

      Next appt is 20th January????   have got some bits and my neice is home at the weekend she is a sports therapist so is coming round to do a massage and check me out... bless her.
  • Posted

    perhaps you can use one of the knobby rollers...Jan 20!
    • Posted

      I would see a massage therapist weekly after hip surgery she came to my home. It was heaven. It takes all the pain and sore muscles away. At least for a little while. Also treated my back with clay heavy heat packs. Really helped get my moods in a better place for heeling. The endorphins were definitely flowing and a healthier lifted mood.,I could barely get up off the table when she was done.

      Drinking lots of water helps flush any muscle debris that was smoothed out during the massage process! She helped my ITBAND issue and many gluteus &'many other issues that seem to plague us after THR. 🙏🏽

    • Posted

      I am trying to find someone who is not fully booked.... seems that I have the odds against me... University of Sport here, and a high proportion of elderly. 

      ​I am on a waiting list for therapy in the local swimming pool .. and am waiting for another therapist to get back to me.  

       

    • Posted

      That's a pain in the glute. have you checked online? Swim therapy is resistance therapy and very gentle. The up you have 50-60 in each group in the pools. Then after ya sit in the hot tub to relax those muscles, when ya get out I felt like I weighed  a ton. So be careful getting out of the water. 

      Many you tube videos PT too can do at home while waiting. The university hospital here has a video of PT exercises on line for everthing possible. 

      They are wonderful! Good luck finding one soon! 

    • Posted

      Where I am swim therapy is ridiculously difficult to find. And I live in one city that is  right next door to a second city! I was lucky to find a private pool who had contacts with qualified staff, so I could arrange my own sessions.

      I started some water running last week. Just gently, but it is amazingly great for using the hip muscles without any pressure on them, and, of course, without damaging the dodgy ankle too!

      I got this place from my physio, but if anyone is looking for something and can't find a public baths, it is worth doing the rounds - this place is actually underneath a dive shop! It started out as a place to learn diving techniques, and such like, but now it rents out for baby swim classes, disabled swimming and similar. It's not a huge pool, but it has a better range  of equipment now because of the users it is put to than many public polls would have. I'd have never even thought of akin at the dive shop!

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