06/12/2025
Superior gluteal nerve controls your outer hip muscles, but its usually referred from a lower back injury (sprain, disc, stenosis)
Its less common than normal muscle tension, it looks exactly the same, but treatment is very different.
Its most common with spinal injury, which may or may not be causing pain at the site of injury.
⚡️To treat, we need to address further up the pathway, and helping the muscle to fire in a more controlled manner.
It is a branch off the bottom of the sciatic nerve. It has shared nerve roots from L4, L5 and S1. It runs deep to the pelvis but comes through to the surface in the middle of your butt muscles (piriformis) to then control the outer hip muscles:
✨️ Glute med
✨️ Glute min
✨️ Tensor fascia latae
We assess the surrounding structures and neurology, and the most common treatment plan will focus on:
We DO
✨️ Decompression of the lower spine to reduce stress on the nerve roots
✨️ Reducing restricting through pathway in the pelvis (sciatic foramen)
✨️ Proprioception or isometric exercises for the target muscles.
We DONT
❌️ Use deep tissue massage or advise massage gun
❌️ Recommend heat (ice helps to reduce inflammation in thr nerve as ling as the body doesn't reject it)
❌️ Heavy exercises or deep stretches
Happy healing ✨️
- Jess Kenney, DC Mchiro
- Doctor of Chiropractic and clinic owner
- This is not specific medical advice. Always speak to your clinician if you have any questions about your own case.
- Absolutely do not continue with any exercise that aggravates symptoms.
