Introduction
The buttocks describes colloquially the buttocks and parts of the pelvis and lower back. The buttocks themselves consist mainly of large, strong muscles. They are used to cushion the weight of the person sitting down and are useful when walking and in activities such as climbing stairs.
The musculature is very strong and causes an extension of the thigh in the hip when tensed. Paralysis of individual muscles in the buttocks results in severe limitations when running. Pain in the buttocks does not have to be muscular. Especially during pregnancy, the female body is exposed to additional stress in several ways. Pain is often projected into the buttocks, but originates in the thigh, hip, back or genital area.
Causes
The pain in the buttock during pregnancy can be attributed to several anatomical structures. It is not uncommon for the muscle itself to be affected, of which the buttocks consist to a large extent of. Like all other muscles in the body, the buttocks can also suffer from sore muscles, strains, tension and hardening.
Often these problems are caused by an additional load or incorrect strain on the muscles. Especially when starting new sports activities, for example jogging, the muscle may initially be overstrained and hurt. The movement that puts the pom muscles under the greatest strain is climbing stairs.
Due to the progressing pregnancy and a corresponding increase in weight, the overall strain on the muscles is also higher. Pain in the musculature can also be caused by sports accidents. Quick turns can lead to strains in the muscles and tendons.
In addition to the gluteal muscles, nerve cords can also be affected. From the lumbar spine, several nerves run through the buttocks to the legs, genitals, skin and other areas. The nerves can be irritated and injured on their way, through entrapments, tears or pressure loads.
During pregnancy, irritation due to increased pressure is particularly common. The sciatic nerve is often affected during pregnancy. An equally well-known problem is the piriformis syndrome, in which a nerve is pinched by the piriformis muscle.
Both diseases are accompanied by stabbing or pulling pain in the buttock. The spine itself can also be the cause of pain in the buttocks during pregnancy. The lumbar spine is a common site for chronic back pain.
During pregnancy, this pain is promoted in several ways. Hormone changes cause ligament and muscle structures to loosen, which support and stabilize the spine and hips. At the same time, the additional load caused by the growing child leads to tension and pressure in the lower back and pelvis.
All this can cause pain that can sometimes radiate into the buttocks, groin or legs. ISG blockage is a blockage of the sacroiliac joint, between the lower back and the hip. Muscles and ligaments block the freedom of movement and cause the typical symptoms of ISG blockage: pain.
During pregnancy, the release of hormones causes various muscles and ligament structures in the body to relax. This is supposed to promote childbirth, but is also predestined for injuries, pain and instability in joints. The therapy of an ISG blockage consists of certain exercises, instructed by doctors, which are intended to mobilize the joint.
Colloquially, the pain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve is called “sciatica“. In technical terminology, this is known as “lumboischialgia“. The sciatic nerve comes from the deep lumbar spine, runs through the buttocks to supply some muscles in the leg.
The cause of lumboischialgia is a mixture of various stresses during pregnancy. The weight load of the growing child is an important factor. The pressure from the growing uterus and the weakness of the gluteal muscle also promote sciatica.
During pregnancy, light muscle exercises and stretching can relieve the nerve. Warmth and light movement also have a positive effect on nerve irritation. Piriformis syndrome describes an irritation of the sciatic nerve in the pelvis.
The nerve travels through the pelvis, under the gluteal muscles, up to the legs, where it supplies various muscles.The syndrome gets its name from the piriformis muscle, which runs spatially very close to the sciatic nerve and can exert pressure on it. The causes for a Piriformis syndrome are numerous, in the pregnancy it occurs however more frequently. This is mainly due to the pressure in the pelvis caused by the growing uterus.
This can quickly irritate the sciatic nerve. The pain can sometimes spread to the back and legs. As a rule, the pain should subside by the end of the pregnancy at the latest.
A hollow back is caused by excessive tension of the lower back muscles. In the long term, the lower back bulges forward, which causes pain and diseases of the spine. During pregnancy, the hollow back is often further strengthened.
During pregnancy, the abdominal area bulges forward. In order to prevent the weight from being shifted too much, the back muscles become permanently tense. Targeted muscle exercises and physiotherapeutic measures must strengthen the abdominal muscles to counteract the hollow back.
Weight gain often becomes a problem for women only in the last weeks and months of pregnancy. The weight gain and the increasing pressure in the pelvis put additional strain on the legs, hips and lower back in particular. Together with the hormonal changes during pregnancy, the weight gain leads to a heavy strain on the hips and their joints. The result is often pain in the buttocks.
