Piriformis syndrome

[Suwannee Dave]

Could I trouble you to entertain us with some reasoning behind this recommendation?

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[Mark Rippetoe]

Come on, Dave, don't post this stupid shit on the board.

[Millerfarm]

Will, thanks for the insight. Here’s a new diagnostic revelation if you guys are interested. There are a couple things that relieve the intermittent pain in her butt and tingling in her leg. While under the load squatting and deadlifting the pain is almost non existent but when the set is complete the pain slowly creeps back. If she lays with her back on the floor and presses a load(usually just me leaning) with her legs, at the point where she is holding the weight with her legs close to her chest the pain disappears. Thanks so much again for the time you guys put into these threads.

[Will Morris]

Will, thanks for the insight. Here’s a new diagnostic revelation if you guys are interested. There are a couple things that relieve the intermittent pain in her butt and tingling in her leg. While under the load squatting and deadlifting the pain is almost non existent but when the set is complete the pain slowly creeps back. If she lays with her back on the floor and presses a load(usually just me leaning) with her legs, at the point where she is holding the weight with her legs close to her chest the pain disappears. Thanks so much again for the time you guys put into these threads.

Millerfarm, even though it was painfully pointed out that I am only a lowly Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy who dared question a diagnosis provided by an omnipotent MD, I think this helps add evidence to the idea that she is not dealing with piriformis syndrome. In a properly loaded squat / deadlift, as we teach it, the piriformis would be under tension, as it will shorten with femoral external rotation. In the case of piriformis syndrome, I think it would be reasonable to assume that forceful shortening of the piriformis would INCREASE symptoms. But, there is another explanation that may be of benefit here: a properly loaded squat / deadlift places the lumbar spine in modest extension under a compressive load, where, if there was a posterior disc herniation, the mechanical compression compresses the herniated disc material back towards the middle of the disc.....which, we would assume a properly loaded squat / deadlift would DECREASE symptoms.

[Mark Rippetoe]

As it turns out, it was in fact a bullshit diagnosis. I've seen this before. From Doctors. Physicians. Board Certified and all.