Passive Seated Piriformis Test

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Keywords

Seated Piriformis Test

Identify sciatic nerve irritability related to compression from stretching of the piriformis and other deep hip external rotator muscles¹

Patient seated¹
Ipsilateral heel supported and knee placed in full extension¹
Passively adduct and internally rotate the flexed hip while palpating lateral to the ischium and proximally at the sciatic notch¹

Provocation of at point of palpation or Radiating pain is positive for Piriformis/ deep hip stabilizer muscle dysfunction and potential sciatic nerve entrapment¹

References

APTA. Current Concepts of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. 5th ed.; 2024.

Citation

For attribution, please cite this work as:

Yomogida N, Kerstein C. Passive Seated Piriformis Test. https://yomokerst.com/The Archive/Examination/Tests and Measures/Lower extremity tests/Hip Tests/PassiveSeatedPiriformisTest.html