A Piriformis Predicament

When there is pain, or numbness / tingling going down the leg, a patient’s first thought is often, “Uh-Oh. It must be a disc.”

Impingement of nerve(s) by a bulging disc can be the cause of these symptoms, but in the absence of any history of injury, such as a lifting strain or a fall or accident, or of disc problems, it is not necessarily the first thing suspected.

A common cause of such symptoms is impingement of the sciatic nerve underneath the piriformis muscle in the buttock. The piriformis may be in spasm, or the patient may have been sitting for prolonged times, or on hard surfaces, causing pressure on the sciatic nerve.

I release a piriformis spasm with the Activator instrument, and give the patient home care instructions and stretches to alleviate the problem.  

When The Kneecap Goes Awry

The kneecap (patella), which is embedded in the tendon of the quadraceps (quads) muscle(s) on the front of the thigh, “tracks” in a groove on the front of the femur, or thigh bone. The quadraceps tendon attaches below the knee to the tibia.

As the knee bends back & forth, the kneecap, which effects a mechanical advantage of 30% increase in the power production of our quads, slides in the bony groove.

If the kneecap becomes misaligned, as it slides there is abnormal wear & tear against the groove, and this can be the beginning of arthritis in the knee. There may be an audible “crunch” in the knee with squats. 

As an Activator Chiropractor, I have an effective adjustment for this condition, and I give the patient exercises that will help the kneecap stay in alignment.