Over the last few years I have experienced several episodes of pain in my lower back, hip and buttocks as a result of running. Usually I relax and do some stretches until the pain goes away. I figured I was just getting older. However, my latest episode included numbness and pain down the thigh and into the knee. My doctor prescribed muscle relaxants and ibuprofen to treat the symptoms. Things improved but never really got better. My doctor then put me on steroids to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve (sciatica).
The steroids were great! In fact, they made me feel so good I continued running and overworked the back and hip muscles even more. When the steroids finally wore off, I discovered what real hip pain could be! That's when I did some research on the sciatic nerve and stumbled upon piriformis syndrome.
Piriformis syndrome manifests itself as a pain in and around the buttocks. The piriformis muscle connects the spine to the outer hip and is important for rotation, balance, and stability of the hip area. If overused, pain usually appears around the outer hip bone as a result of muscle tightness and/or bursitis. Sometimes the pain will be located in the center of the butt. Unfortunately, the sciatic nerve passes through the area of the piriformis muscle. Because the nerve may also be affected, pain and possibly numbness can appear down the leg, including the thigh, knee, and/or calf areas.
I couldn't have described my symptoms any better! My doctor suggested physical therapy. Instead I got a massage (that's physical therapy) to treat the affected areas and my body in general. The massage relieved a lot of the muscle pain and the therapist suggested a few exercises to treat my symptoms. That day I could actually walk without pain.
Things are getting better. From my online research, I learned of several exercises to stretch the piriformis and other muscles in the lower back and hips. I still have occasional pain in the lower back and butt. However, the pain and numbness in the hip and knee are gone. The stretching exercises have been a tremendous help and I am back running again.