28/11/2025
How Can a Tight Obturator Internus Cause Pain?
Did you know that one small deep hip muscle can create BIG problems?
The Obturator Internus is one of the six deep lateral hip rotators responsible for hip stability and smooth movement when walking, running and standing.
But here’s where things get interesting…
This muscle’s fascia helps form Alcock’s Canal, where the pudendal nerve runs. When the Obturator Internus becomes tight or overactive (hypertonic), it can irritate this nerve — causing a whole range of symptoms, including:
👉 Shooting or stabbing pains
👉 Deep aching in the hip
👉 Burning or itching sensations in the ge****ls, perineum or a**s
👉 Bladder urgency (because the pudendal nerve helps control the external urethral sphincter!)
And it doesn’t stop there…
The Obturator Internus sits close to the piriformis and the sciatic nerve. A tight pelvic or gluteal region can mimic sciatica symptoms — sometimes called “false sciatica” — even when the sciatic nerve itself isn’t trapped.
⚠️ Tight pelvic floor muscles can cause problems.
Weak pelvic floor muscles can cause problems.
Balance is everything.
At Tree of Health and Wellbeing, we work holistically — treating BOTH strength and tension in the pelvic floor and deep hip rotators. When these muscles are weak, the pelvic floor often has to compensate… and honestly, it already works hard enough!
If you’re experiencing hip, pelvic, or nerve-type symptoms, we’re here to help guide you back to comfort and optimal function.
Denise & Susan
🌿 Tree of Health and Wellbeing 🌿
