When someone experiences pain that travels through the buttock and down the leg, it’s often assumed to be sciatica.
But what if, in some cases, the source of the problem isn’t the sciatic nerve itself?
What if the body is telling a different story – one that begins with a small but incredibly important structure at the base of the pelvis?
One of the most overlooked areas in bodywork is the sacrotuberous ligament, yet in Lomi Lomi it is considered one of the key structures influencing healthy pelvic movement. When this ligament becomes restricted, it can affect how the pelvis moves, how the surrounding muscles compensate, and potentially contribute to discomfort that may feel very similar to sciatica.
What Is the Sacrotuberous Ligament?
The sacrotuberous ligament connects the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) to the ischial tuberosity, commonly known as the sit bone.
Its primary role is to provide stability to the pelvis while still allowing the sacrum and sacroiliac (SI) joints to move naturally during walking, bending and everyday movement.
Although it isn’t a large structure, it plays an essential role in balancing stability with mobility.
Every Step Depends on It
Walking is far more dynamic than most people realise.
With every step you take, your sacrum performs a subtle movement of flexion and rotation. This small motion allows the pelvis to transfer force efficiently from one side of the body to the other.
As your right leg steps forward, one side of the sacrum must move freely.
As your left leg steps forward, the opposite side responds.
This continuous rhythm happens thousands of times every day without us consciously noticing it.
When the sacrotuberous ligament loses its flexibility, this natural movement becomes restricted.
The result can be reduced motion through the opposite SI joint, altering the body’s normal mechanics.
How Restriction Can Affect the Whole Body
The body rarely works in isolation.
When one area becomes restricted, other tissues begin compensating.
A tight sacrotuberous ligament may contribute to:
- Reduced mobility through the sacroiliac joints
- Increased bracing in the gluteal muscles
- Additional workload for the lower back
- Altered walking mechanics
- Increased tension through surrounding fascial and muscular structures
In some people, these changes may also coincide with irritation around nearby nerve pathways, creating symptoms that resemble sciatica. However, similar symptoms can have many different causes – including lumbar disc problems, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, or true sciatic nerve irritation – so an accurate assessment is important, and medical evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional is recommended to rule out more serious underlying conditions.
Why This Area Is Often Missed
Many massage and bodywork trainings focus primarily on muscles.
Ligaments are often discussed from an anatomical perspective but receive little practical attention during treatment.
Within traditional Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, however, the body is viewed as an interconnected system where restoring movement – not simply releasing muscles – is essential.
The sacrotuberous ligament is one of the areas practitioners learn to assess because of its influence on the movement of the pelvis and the overall flow of the body.
Rather than chasing symptoms, the intention is to restore balance to the body’s natural mechanics.
A Gentle Approach to Releasing the Ligament
In Lomi Lomi, this ligament is approached with broad, gentle compression rather than aggressive pressure.
Using the forearm, the practitioner makes soft contact over the ligament between the sacrum and the sit bone, gradually sinking through the tissues with patience rather than force.
The emphasis is on listening to the tissue and allowing it to soften naturally.
Treatment is always performed on both sides to encourage balanced movement through both sacroiliac joints.
The goal isn’t simply to release tension – it is to restore ease, rhythm and fluidity throughout the pelvis.
Looking Beyond the Symptoms
Pain is often experienced far away from its source.
The body constantly adapts, compensates and redistributes forces to keep us moving.
Sometimes the area that hurts isn’t the area that needs attention.
For bodyworkers, therapists and movement practitioners, understanding structures like the sacrotuberous ligament can open new perspectives when working with persistent pelvic, hip and lower back dysfunction.
It serves as a reminder that small anatomical structures can have a profound influence on the way the whole body functions.
Learning the Hawaiian Perspective
At Ho’omana Spa on Maui, these teachings form part of the deeper study of traditional Hawaiian Lomi Lomi.
Students don’t simply learn massage techniques – they learn to observe movement, understand the relationships between different tissues, and approach the body through the lens of Aloha, presence and deep listening.
As practitioners begin seeing the body as an integrated whole rather than a collection of isolated muscles, they often discover new ways of helping clients move with greater freedom and ease.
Sometimes, the missing piece isn’t another technique.
Sometimes it’s learning to see what everyone else has overlooked.
Join Us in Maui: Learn Lomi Lomi In Person
If you feel called to experience these teachings for yourself, we would love to welcome you to Maui.
Our next Lomi Lomi training begins on October 16th – a space to remember, reconnect, and embody this sacred work.
Find all the details here
If you feel called to learn Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage and to continue to learn about the Wisdom of the Bones, join us in October for the Lomi Lomi Fall Mastership. The coursework includes:
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Lomi Lomi Fundamentals
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Advanced Lomi Lomi: Core & Skeletal Alignment
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Advanced Lomi Lomi: Extremities
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Ho’opa’a: Lomi Lomi Mastership
Come to Ho’omana Spa in Makawao, Maui, where the winds of Haleakalā carry wisdom from the ancestors. Study with Jeana Iwalani Naluai, a Native Hawaiian Kumu, and learn to embody the aloha spirit in your practice.
🌺 See upcoming classes at www.LearnLomiLomi.com
Jeana Iwalani Naluai
Native Hawaiian Healer & Lomi Lomi Lineage Holder
www.learnlomilomi.com
