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Piriformis Syndrome/Protonics Brace

(6 discussions)

Hello -I have been diagnosed with Piriformis Syndrome that has led to a chronic muscle contraction throughout my left leg.
My knee has twisted as a result, as has my foot.
I heard about a Protronics brace to stabilize the pelvis (my pelvis is constantly out of alignment).
I have no idea what the brace is or where to find one.
Would this be helpful for my condition?
I have been dealing with this for 7 years now with every kind of therapy possible and would love to be off pain pills.
Thank you.

6 comments

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    9 10

    I experienced an on-the-job injury in mid 1997 resulting in severe lower back pain which, for awhile, traveled down one leg. After months of PT with moderate relief, I finally began doing more and more activity to strengthen the surrounding muscles – so that they would “take over” some of the work load for the injured area. I have been diagnosed as a sacral-iliac sprain however, I have a severe pain the the middle of my buttock on the effected side which limits the useage of that leg. I suspect piriformis syndrome. I have also, just recently, developed a “noisy knee” on that side but have not incurred and injury nor done any activities. Has anyone experienced similar problems?

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      9 10

      Right now, I have an identical problem. I am an R.N. and cannot work because I cannot stand, sit, or walk for any length of time…no more than 10-15 minutes. Today, I saw an anesthesiologist/ pain specialist who is first going to inject into the piriformis with cortisone. If that works, even for day or two, he’ll go ahead with the Botox. Naturally, I’m scared that the poison will hit the nerve rather than the muscle, which would be disastrous. Do you know of anyone who has had this done with a successful outcome?
      Good luck with your injection and let me know how it turns out for you.
      Sincerely, Susan

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    9 10

    The piriformis muscle in my case needed rest, no stretching. Well, the neurological message to the brain is saying that the muscle has been overused, it will not stretch when I sit. I found a doctor who is familiar with PS. I am getting a botox injection in just a few days. It should remedy the problem. The botox will keep the muscle relaxed when doing the exercises for the next 6 to 8 months. The nerve passage will soon send the correct message to the brain.

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    9 10

    I had my piriformis removed almost 3 years ago. I have had 2 other surgeries during the past 2 years because of this removal. I now have hamstring syndrom which will be treated at the pain clinic. What ever you do….. Do not have your piriformis removed. My experience is that it only makes things worse. Also, I tried the protonics brace and it did nothing for me.

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    9 10

    FROM: SUSAN ROSSINO
    Hi, I am a little confused about an email that it seems as though I wrote in its entirety. I did not. My email is a response to the person who was injured on the job in 1997, and begins, “.. I have an identical problem” and ends with the question about anyone having had the Botox injection. I have had my Botox injection X2 at an exorbitant cost (approx. $600./ea) and neither worked at all. It was the opinion of the physician that perhaps the correct spot was not “hit”, and we agreed to give it another shot (no pun intended). That did no good either. It was just as bad as it had been before it. In my experience, Botox seems not to work in a case like mine. This pain is entirely in the buttock and down the leg to the back of the knee, the hip, and the bottom of the tailbone. The pain that I do experience sometimes in my low back, abdomen, joints, etc. I think may be from the way I have adjusted my walk over the past 10 years. I truly I could have given some of you folks out there some hope with regard to Botox as a new and curative modality, but it just didn’t help me. If anyone out there has found anything that works to stop that “toothache” in the buttock, anything at all, please let me know. I will try anything–hypnosis, acupuncture, anything. If anyone out there has had more than one Botox shot, but now they have relief from the last one, I want to know that also. SUSAN R.

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    9 10

    REPLY FROM SUSAN: Oh My God! I also have P.S., and thought about either having the muscle cut in half or removed, or anything that would help my chronic pain and subsequent depression. I have so many friends who are doctors, to whom I suggested this for me. ALL of them said, “NO WAY”, and one even told me that he had participated in a “sciatic exploratory and resection of the piriformis muscle” that turned out to be an absolute mess! He said he would never again approach our problem surgically. I believe that the patient was left paralyzed from an infection that developed along the nerve. I have found nothing that works as of yet. If I do, I will write back to this website. What is “hamstring syndrome”?Replied to by SUSAN——————————————–

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