Pain In The Butt?

Pain in the buttock can indicate many things, from arthritis to a herniated disc. Determining the source of your discomfort is essential before tackling the solution. Read about a few of the most common causes below, then watch my video for some exercises to try!

1. Sciatica
Sciatica refers to irritation of the sciatic nerve, which begins in the lumbar spine (low back) and snakes its way down through your buttocks and the length of your leg. Symptoms typically include sharp or shooting pain in the buttock and down the back of the leg, sometimes all the way into the foot or the low back. you may also feel numbness and tingling along the course of the nerve. Sciatica can occur when the nerve is pinched in the lumbar spine, under the piriformis or other muscles in the pelvis, under your growing baby, or a combination.

2. Bursitis
The bursa is a fluid filled sac sitting between the tendons attaching to your hip and the bone itself. It cushions and protects the soft tissue from rubbing against the bone. Bursitis occurs when this sac becomes inflamed and painful, usually because of prolonged pressure (like sleeping on your side), direct trauma (like a fall), or excess motion at the hip with walking/running (due to weakness). Symptoms are usually sharp or dull pain on the side of your hip – right over the bone – which gets worse with pressure and prolonged walking/sitting.

3. Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SIJ)
The sacroiliac joints connect your sacrum (the bottom of your spine) to your ilium (pelvic bone) on each side. These joints are very deep, and normally not very mobile. However in some circumstances (like pregnancy) they move more than normal causing inflammation at the joint, or get stuck in an abnormal position (after a fall, or with repetitive positions). This can cause dull, achey pain in one side of your low back, in your buttock, hip, groin, that often feels “deep”. Pain will usually increase with standing on one leg, prolonged walking or running, or bending forward. You may also feel “crooked”.

Other common causes of hip/buttock pain include arthritis, tendinitis, piriformis syndrome, IT Band syndrome, lumbar disc herniation, and pelvic floor dysfunction. If your pain persists, call for an appointment and we’ll solve the puzzle to get you relief!

Dr. Sheri DeSchaaf, DPT