8 of 12 Top Hip Papers – Deep Gluteal Syndrome
It's day 8 today of this 12 Top Hip Papers miniblog series. You can return to read previous blogs from the main blogpage. Yesterday our paper was one of the first that started to really delineate what piriformis syndrome is and isn't, and outline other causes of nerve impingement in the deep gluteal space. Today, we visit a paper published many years after, to examine the progress in our understanding of buttock pain related to sciatic nerve impingement. This paper provides a wealth of information, including a new diagnosis - deep gluteal syndrome - and clinical guidelines for assessment and management of this condition.
For your convenience, we have also developed this content into a FREE 26-page full colour ebook!
Packed full of 12 Top Hip Papers - peer reviewed scientific papers that have contributed to our understanding of hip conditions and/or the assessment or management of hip pain or injury.
PAPER 8: Deep gluteal syndrome – Mini-symposium
Seven years after Filler’s paper on Piriformis and Related Entrapment Syndromes (see last post), Hal Martin and colleagues published this paper that redefined sciatic nerve entrapment as Deep Gluteal Syndrome and described contemporary assessment and management of the condition. These authors suggested that because there are several locations where the sciatic nerve can be entrapped, the term ‘deep gluteal syndrome’ instead of ‘piriformis syndrome’ is now preferred. Deep gluteal syndrome is the presence of pain in the buttock caused from non-discogenic and extrapelvic entrapment of the sciatic nerve in the deep gluteal space, beneath the gluteus maximus muscle.
Key learnings about deep gluteal syndrome:
- Deep gluteal syndrome is now preferred over piriformis syndrome, as an umbrella term for pain associated with non-discogenic and extrapelvic entrapment of the sciatic nerve anywhere in the deep gluteal space.
- The deep gluteal space is the potential space beneath the gluteus maximus muscle, with the following borders: Superiorly: greater sciatic notch; Inferiorly: distal ischium; Laterally: gluteal tuberosity of femur; Medially: sacrotuberous ligament.
- The combination of the seated piriformis stretch test with the piriformis active test has shown useful clinimetric properties for diagnosing sciatic nerve entrapment.
- Treatment recommendations include physical therapy, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, and injections), and surgical decompression of the nerve (endoscopic preferably).
if you are interested in learning more about this condition, which can often present diagnostic dilemmas and predispose to persistent pain states, you might like to complete the course below, benefit from the extended resources in Hip Academy or sign up for a live workshop.
Join Hip Academy Today
Join Hip Academy Today
By becoming a member today you can enjoy the benefits of a world class educational Hip Program, specifically designed by Dr Alison Grimaldi to help improve your knowledge surrounding the Hip and Pelvis, and become an expert in your field.
By becoming a member today you can enjoy the benefits of a world class educational Hip Program, specifically designed by Dr Alison Grimaldi to help improve your knowledge surrounding the Hip and Pelvis, and become an expert in your field.
Like to learn more about assessment and treatment of patients with deep gluteal syndrome?
In this course, you can find detailed information on pathoaetiology, assessment and management of deep gluteal syndrome and many other conditions.
I hope you enjoyed the infographic and key learnings from Day 8 of my 12 Top Hip Papers. There are 4 more papers to come, so stay tuned and return to the blog page each day to see what other top papers and infographics I have for you!
Click the image above to read Paper 7
Click the image above to read Paper 9
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