Deep gluteal syndrome
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Deep gluteal syndrome, or also known as pyramidal syndrome, pseudosciatica or false sciatica are terms that help define the contracture or overload of the piriformis muscle, located in the deep part of the buttock that causes its length to shorten and therefore increase its volume, forcing it to compress the sciatic nerve.
It is characterized by pain and tenderness in the buttock area, on the back of the thigh, or on the hip.
Symptoms of Deep Butt Syndrome
It should be noted that most patients who go to the clinic with this ailment usually have a history prior to the symptoms, so the first step is to rule out lumbar injuries, urinary pathologies, gynecological pathologies or intrapelvic entrapment.
The most common symptoms are usually:
Tenderness and pain in the buttock that runs down the thigh to the knee.
Alteration or loss of sensation due to numbness.
Motor weakness.
Irregular reflexes.
The pain is aggravated by sitting for more than 30 minutes.
Discomfort when walking or doing any sports activity.
Low back pain, low back pain that occurs at night and reduces during the day
Diagnosis
An orthopedic medical specialist is in charge of giving a diagnosis. In the case of athletes, it is very common to have pain in this gluteal area, as it is considered the transition area between the lower limbs and the spine, which is very subjected to extreme pressure.
This is a syndrome in which a differential diagnosis must be made so as not to confuse this pathology with a sciatica lesion.
Treatments for Deep Butt Syndrome
Treatment in these cases should be focused on reducing pain.
For this, traditional treatments such as physiotherapy are usually used, which plays a fundamental role with specific techniques for this syndrome.
Manual therapies so that the patient is able to move and activate without discomfort, of course all this will depend on the level of pain.
The specialist will do everything possible with non-surgical treatments to avoid reaching an intervention.
The use of deep therapeutic massages to treat muscle contracture.
Ice massages, to reduce inflammation and relax the muscles.
Heat therapy would also help stretch or lengthen contracted muscles.
Perform passive and assisted stretching of the muscles that affect Deep Butteus Syndrome.
Always remember to pay attention to your body, if you feel a lot of pain when performing these exercises do not force yourself and try to have professional support to guarantee a better result
Exercises for deep gluteal syndrome
Ideally, they should be advised by a specialised physiotherapist to guarantee the patient’s functional readaptation. Some of the domestic exercises include:
Exercise for complete stretching:
This consists of stretching the piriformis muscle. Lie on the floor in the Indian position, bringing your leg back, as far as you can without hurting yourself. You should check that the knee of the bent leg is aligned with your hip.
Hold this pose for several seconds and then do the same operation with the other leg.
At first it will be annoying and it will be difficult for you to stretch your leg but you must do it without forcing your body and without causing discomfort.
Exercise to reduce tension.
This consists of sitting in a chair with your crossed leg resting on the thigh of the other leg.
Lean your body forward with your back straight, without bending your cervical vertebrae or arching your spine, try not to lift your buttocks from the chair.
Hold the pose for a few seconds, pressing your legs a little with your body and return to the starting position.
Switch legs and perform sequences of 2 or 3 repetitions with each of your legs.
Anti-pain massage
Lie on your back on a towel, bend your legs by putting your feet flat on it.
Take a tennis ball or something equivalent to that size, putting it under the point in your lower back where you feel a lot of pain.
Start making small rotational movements with your hips, so that the ball massages the area.
Always remember to pay attention to your body, if you feel a lot of pain when performing these exercises do not force yourself and try to have professional support to guarantee a better result
Frequently asked questions
What to take for deep gluteal syndrome pain?
It is advisable to follow the instructions of the treating doctor on what medications to take, the prescribed dose and the frequency of it to avoid greater risks.
The specialist’s first option is to resort to analgesics, anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants. If the pain persists, physiotherapy would be recommended, if after this, there is no evident recovery, it is because there is a strong contracture.
In these cases, corticosteroid infiltration is recommended and in extreme cases of chronic pain, surgery is recommended.
When the syndrome persists and is repetitive, the cause and origin must be sought, starting first by observing the frequency with which it recurs, also reviewing the patient’s footprint to work on gait readaptation processes.
Do exercises relieve deep gluteal syndrome?
Both frequent exercises and specialist-assisted therapies are the most recommended to relieve deep gluteal syndrome.
This of course depends on the level of pain. The ideal would be to reduce the usual daily activity, perform stretching exercises to stretch the contracted muscles, apply heat to the buttock area for approximately 20 or 30 minutes, and self-massage.
What is the recovery time for deep gluteal syndrome?
This will depend on various factors, among the most important to highlight are the patient’s medical history, to check the recurrence of the disease, the general state of health and age.
However, the recovery time could be within a range of 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the degree of complexity of this pathology.
