For today's class you'll need: a block or two, a 3lb weight if you have one. That's it!

More Details About the Obturator Internus

*associated with hip pain*

Originates from the pubis and ischium (pelvic bones) at the obturator foramen. It travels through the lesser sciatic foramen (basically the hole that the sciatic nerve runs through) and attaches onto the big head of the femur.

It has a few very important roles. First – it crosses the hip joint which means it’s function is around moving the hip. It helps with abduction (moving away from the body) of the leg and also external rotation when the leg is in a 90 degree angle. Another BIG job of the OI is to stabilize the head of the femur inside the hip socket.

Symptoms of a Weak Obturator Internus:
- Pain around sit bones
- Difficulty with hip rotation
- Pain during activities like walking or climbing stairs
- Urinary urgency, incontinence or frequency
- Radiating pain down the thigh due to it’s neighbor, the pudendal nerve, being irritated
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Pain with internal rotation
- Pain with sitting

Possible Causes:
- Overuse – compensation because of other weak pelvic floor muscles, glutes & core
- Posture
- Catering to one side (think leaning on one side all the time)
- Imbalances with other pelvic muscles
- I’m also going to say the things we normally talk about like bearing down during bowl movements, reverse breathing, doing core work incorrectly and creating downward pressure and crossing your legs

One more thing – external nerve pain can also be caused by a tight Obturator. When I was regularly getting Pelvic PT, my OI on the left was seemingly always tight. When it was tight, I’d get nerve pain just on the left side of the vulva. My gyno never said anything about that side of my pelvic floor being tight or ever offered me a referral to Pelvic PT. She offered me shots of cortisone to calm to the nerves down and HRT.