For “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” star Andie MacDowell, life recently has been a real pain in the ... sciatic nerve. It runs from the buttocks to the leg and was causing the former Calvin Klein model to suffer from a rare condition.
Andie MacDowell talks diagnosis
MacDowell, who is 66, recently appeared on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” where she discussed what was troubling her.
“I have piriformis syndrome, so it’s a muscle that kind of clamps down on my sciatic nerve, and it was shooting down my leg,” she told Barrymore, as reported by People.
MacDowell said she had been riding her indoor bike “like a crazy person,” according to E! News. The overuse then caused the condition to flare up.
“It’s not appropriate for my body, and I ended up with bad knees and a bad hip,” she said. “I thought I was literally falling apart.”
MacDowell initially thought she was going to need a hip replacement, but she managed to shrug off the condition surgery-free.
“I have to work my tiny little bottom and my hips,” she said. “I have to work the bottom and work my hip. I just do it every day.”
What is piriformis syndrome?
Piriformis syndrome, according to the American Osteopathic Association, is “a frequently misdiagnosed pain in the buttocks.” It’s associated with sciatica, sometimes leading doctors to incorrect conclusions during examinations.
The neuromuscular condition is caused by the piriformis muscle (found in the buttocks) pressuring the sciatic nerve. It’s usually caused by muscle overuse, making it more common among marathon runners and other athletes.
Credit: Kevin Winter
Credit: Kevin Winter
Symptoms include pain, tingling or numbness in the buttocks, pain while walking, increased pain during extended periods of sitting and pain down the back of the legs.
The AOA reports that there are about 200,000 cases each year. It could be more common, though, according to Harvard Health Publishing senior faculty editor Dr. Robert H. Shmerling.
“Piriformis syndrome may be the most common cause of sciatic-type back pain you’ve never heard of; or it may be rare, no one is really sure,” Shmerling said. “If you have persistent, unexplained buttock pain that travels into the leg, stop carrying your wallet in your back pocket, try not to sit so much, and see your doctor.
“You might have a disk problem or some other common back trouble; but you could have piriformis syndrome, and finding out sooner rather than later can make a difference.”
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