Case Study: Chronic Piriformis Syndrome

Hey everyone, Happy Friday.  I've decided to start 'case study' day.  At the end of each week, I will be posting a blog on one of my most interesting and successful cases for that week.

So this week, I have had the honor to treat a really amazing gentleman.  In a short amount of time, I have grown to really enjoy him and his wife, and our visits have been quite fun!  He comes in on Wednesday evenings to the chiropractic office in Golden, and that just happens to be the night Shawn is treating patients at that location, and Addison is there crawling around, and it's quite the family night.  It is fun, and slightly chaotic however.  In any case, this man has had chronic pain for 30 years, same spot.  RIGHT PIRIFORMIS.  Chronic right gluteal pain.  He has been ALL over the place for some answers...spine specialists, back surgeons, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists etc.

He was referred to us by a good friend and fellow chiropractor, Russell Schierling.  They were interested in getting the IASTM ( Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) work done.  However, upon the examination, this is what we found:

First, he had bilateral (both sides) external rotation of the hips.  Basically, both of the knee caps point outward.  In this position, the external rotators of the hip are chronically shortened.  He also had a severe case of forefoot varus, or in layman's terms, a propeller foot.

All of his prior treatment had been focused on his hip and back.  He had lumbar spine MRI's, x-rays, scans, EMG (nerve conduction) studies etc with no resolution of symptoms.

Case in point here, just because you experience pain in one area, DOES NOT mean that's where the pain is coming from!  You can massage, adjust, needle, scrape, and pray, but unless you address the feet, this case will not be solved. (well, the prayer might work:)  No one had even looked at his feet.

So, we put a custom foot orthotic with a forefoot varus post under his feet.  I addressed some other issues as well, that were actually on his left side , not his right or symptomatic side and within one week, his pain was 50% better, after 30 years!!!!!!!!

I was so happy to see this man smile, and get some relief.  My husband and I have been discussing his case all week, and we are so incredibly grateful to do what we do.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Take responsibility for your health today.

Dr. Courtney Conley
Chiropractor Golden, CO
Chiropractor Idaho Springs, CO