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The piriformis muscle is a small, flat, pear-shaped muscle located deep in the buttock. It originates from several anatomical locations in the pelvis, including the anterior surface of the sacrum, the spinal part of the gluteal muscles, the superior gluteal surface of the ilium, and the capsule of the adjacent sacroiliac joint. The piriformis exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic notch and inserts on the superior aspect of the femur's greater trochanter. In this article, we will explore the anatomy of the piriformis muscle and how to locate it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shape | Flat, pear-shaped |
| Size | Small |
| Location | Deep in the buttock, partially on the posterior wall of the lesser pelvis, partially posterior to the hip joint |
| Anatomical origin | The anterior surface of the sacrum, the spinal part of the gluteal muscles, the superior gluteal surface of the ilium near the margin of the greater sciatic notch, the capsule of the adjacent sacroiliac joint, and sometimes, the sacrotuberous ligament |
| Insertion | The superior aspect of the femur's greater trochanter |
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What You'll Learn
The piriformis muscle is located deep in the buttock
The piriformis exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic notch and inserts on the superior aspect of the femur's greater trochanter. The muscle courses parallel to the posterior margin of the gluteus medius and deep to the gluteus maximus. The piriformis is intimately associated with the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, obturator internus, and gemelli muscles.
The piriformis muscle is supplied by S2 in some cases and L5 to S2 in others. The sciatic nerve pierces the piriformis in different locations in at least a fifth of the population.
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It is a small, flat muscle
The piriformis is a small, flat, pear-shaped muscle located deep in the buttock. It lies in the centre of the buttock and directly below the large gluteus maximus muscle. The piriformis is the only muscle in the entire pelvic complex that originates from the anterior surface of the body. It is also the most superficial muscle among the deep gluteal muscles.
The piriformis muscle originates from four main anatomical locations in the pelvic region. These are the upper part of the sacrotuberous ligament (the ligament connecting the spine to the pelvis), the front part of the sacral spine between S2 and S4 (the base of the spine), the outer capsule of the sacroiliac (SI) joint (the joint between the spine and pelvis), and the upper part of the ilium (the large bone that forms the upper part of the pelvis).
The piriformis exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic notch before entering the gluteal region. The muscle courses parallel to the posterior margin of the gluteus medius and deep to the gluteus maximus. The tendons of the piriformis, obturator internus, and inferior and superior gemelli fuse before inserting on the superior aspect of the femur's greater trochanter.
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It is important to the lateral rotation of the leg
The piriformis is a small, flat, pear-shaped muscle located deep in the buttock. It is important to the lateral rotation of the leg because it is one of the lateral rotators of the hip. It is the only muscle in the entire pelvic complex that originates from the anterior surface of the body.
The piriformis muscle originates from four main anatomical locations in the pelvic region: the upper part of the sacrotuberous ligament, the front part of the sacral spine between S2 and S4, the outer capsule of the sacroiliac joint, and the upper part of the ilium. It is intimately associated with the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, obturator internus, and gemelli muscles.
The piriformis exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic notch before entering the gluteal region. It courses parallel to the posterior margin of the gluteus medius and deep to the gluteus maximus. The muscle is supplied by S2 in some cases and L5 to S2 in others. The tendons of the piriformis, obturator internus, and inferior and superior gemelli fuse before inserting on the superior aspect of the femur's greater trochanter.
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It is close to the sciatic nerve
The piriformis is a small, flat, pear-shaped muscle located deep in the buttock. It is close to the sciatic nerve, which pierces the piriformis in different locations in at least a fifth of the population. The piriformis exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic notch before entering the gluteal region. The muscle courses parallel to the posterior margin of the gluteus medius and deep to the gluteus maximus. The piriformis is intimately associated with the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, obturator internus, and gemelli muscles. The piriformis is the only muscle in the entire pelvic complex that originates from the anterior surface of the body. It originates from four main anatomical locations in the pelvic region: the upper part of the sacrotuberous ligament, the front part of the sacral spine between S2 and S4, the outer capsule of the sacroiliac joint, and the upper part of the ilium. The piriformis is a thick, flat muscle and the most superficial muscle among the deep gluteal muscles.
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It originates in the pelvic region
The piriformis is a small, flat, pear-shaped muscle located deep in the buttock. It originates in the pelvic region, specifically from four main anatomical locations: the upper part of the sacrotuberous ligament, the front part of the sacral spine between S2 and S4, the outer capsule of the sacroiliac joint, and the upper part of the ilium. The piriformis is the only muscle in the entire pelvic complex that originates from the anterior surface of the body. It exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic notch and inserts on the superior aspect of the femur's greater trochanter. The muscle courses parallel to the posterior margin of the gluteus medius and deep to the gluteus maximus. The piriformis is intimately associated with the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, obturator internus, and gemelli muscles.
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Frequently asked questions
The piriformis muscle is located deep in the buttock, in the centre, below the gluteus maximus muscle. To find it, follow an imaginary line from the front of your hip to your sacrum, feeling for a small indentation over your buttock area.
The piriformis muscle is one of the hip lateral rotators, and it also plays an important role in stabilising the hip joint.
The piriformis muscle is small, flat, and pear-shaped.
