When the<unk>  muscle shortens or spasms due to trauma or overuse, it can compress or strangle the sciatic nerve beneath the muscle. Generally, conditions of this type are referred to as nerve entrapment or as entrapment neuropathies; the particular condition known as<unk>  refers to sciatica symptoms not originating from spinal roots and/or spinal disc compression, but involving the overlying<unk>  muscle. In 17% of an assumed normal population the sciatic nerve passes through the<unk>  muscle, rather than underneath it; however, in patients undergoing surgery for suspected<unk>  such an anomaly was found only 16.2% of the time leading to doubt about the importance of the anomaly as a factor in<unk> . Some researchers discount the importance of this relationship in the etiology of the syndrome. MRI findings have shown that both hypertrophy (unusual largeness) and atrophy (unusual smallness) of the<unk>  muscle correlate with the supposed condition.<unk>  may also be associated with direct trauma to the<unk>  muscle, such as in a fall or from a knife wound.
Piriformis syndrome
Kidney stone disease
Pronator teres syndrome
Spinal disc herniation
Sciatica
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
Heel pad syndrome
Legius syndrome