(anatomy) A muscle arising from the front of the sacrum and inserted into the greater trochanter of the femur.
piriformis
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(′pir·ə′för·məs)
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| Sports Science and Medicine: piriformis |
A pear-shaped muscle in the posterior aspect of the thigh, inferior to the gluteus minimus. Its origin is on the anterolateral surface of the sacrum, and its insertion is on the superior border of the greater trochanter of the femur. Its primary action is lateral (outward) rotation of the femur. Its also assists in abduction when the hip is flexed, and helps to stabilize the hip joint.
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 | Thelohanellus |
| Piriformis syndrome |
| hip lateral rotator |
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 | Sci-Tech Dictionary. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. Copyright © 2003, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Sports Science and Medicine. The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved. Read more |
