What muscles comprise the buttocks? Sure, everyone knows about the “glutious maximus” (sp?), but there are others. In particular, I am seeking the name of the muscle through which the sciatic nerve must pass. My chiropractor says it is a short name, like the “scalara” muscle, or name like that (I didn’t have a pen). I thought it was a longer name which rang a bell, like trapezius (sp?), or something? (Where is the trapezius muscle, anyhow?)
Got a lot of nerve but not up on my muscle groups…
The buttock muscles include the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus. No fooling. If you include the upper upper thigh, you would also be including the gemellus muscles, obturator interus, quadratus femoris, etc.
The gluteus maximus is the most external muscle. Underneath it is a hornet’s nest of muscles and fascia. The sciatic nerve emerges from the foramen in the pelvis under the sacrotuberous ligament (from the sacrum to the ischial tuberosity) and passes through a gap formed by the piriformis and the gemellus muscles. It passes under the piriformis and over the superior and inferior gemellus and obturator internus muscles, which attach the sacrum to the femur by attaching to the greater trochanter of the femur (the bump on the top of the outside of your thigh under your hips, feel for them). When it enters the femur, the sciatic passes over the quadratus femoris and under the biceps femoris (hamstring) muscle.
Thanks, but where is the sciatic nerve in relation to these muscles? If it is not the tush itself, does it pass directly through a pinhole tunnel in the sacroilliac (sp?), perhaps, to run down a leg? (Of course, the other leg ha a similar design…)
Thanks for the details. One mroe question. Does sciatica include any pangs or sensations in the front or side of the leg? My chiropractor says it is only discomfort along the back of the leg which is caused by the sciatic nerve. He says other dynamics may be at work, here. True?
Trapezius is the triangular muscle extending down the neck to the lower back, attaching on the back of the skull, the spine, and the spine of the scapula (the ridge on your shoulder blade).
I guess I didn’t read the full OP, which edwino answered better than I did, (or could at this stage of my career without looking it up).
Sciatica, strictly speaking, only involves the posterior leg. The ilio-inguinal nerve goes to the front of the leg and groin and is often also involved in people with lower back pain. Other lumbo-sacral nerve roots innervate the leg and can also be “pinched”.
Just as an aside, it’s the overdevelopment of these muscles (for there are two, are there not?) is what gives some bodybuilders and other highly muscular people the appearance of having no neck.
but not up on my muscle groups…