Deep Gluteal Syndrome: A Pain in the Buttock

Abstract

While buttock pain is a common complaint in sports medicine, deep gluteal syndrome (DGS) is a rare entity. DGS has been proposed as a unifying term referring to symptoms attributed to the various pain generators located in this region. While not all-inclusive, the diagnosis of DGS allows for focus on pathology of regionally associated muscles, tendons, and nerves in the clinical evaluation and management of posterior hip and buttock complaints. An understanding of the anatomic structures and their kinematic and topographic relationships in the deep gluteal space is pivotal in making accurate diagnoses and providing effective treatment. Because presenting clinical features may be unrevealing while imaging studies and diagnostic procedures lack supportive evidence, precise physical examination is essential in obtaining accurate diagnoses. Management of DGS involves focused rehabilitation with consideration of still clinically unproven adjunctive therapies, image-guided injections, and surgical intervention in refractory cases.