Right piriformis

Looks like

A pear-shaped muscle deep in the buttock, from the front of the sacrum through the pelvis to the top of the greater trochanter.

What it does

Turns the thigh outward and helps steady the hip; the sciatic nerve usually runs just below it.

Keeping it well

Blamed for 'piriformis syndrome', but buttock pain down the leg is more often from the spine; leg weakness or bladder change is urgent.

Related conditions

• Botulism
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Fibromyalgia
• Frailty & falls in older age
• Heat exhaustion & heatstroke
• Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
• Lymphoedema
• Malnutrition & refeeding syndrome
• Muscular dystrophy
• Piriformis syndrome
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Restless legs syndrome
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Sarcoma
• Sarcopenia
• Tetanus
• Varicose veins