Piriformis Syndrome Exercises
If you are suffering from piriformis syndrome, you are probably {fed up with|sick and tired of} the numbness and tingling in your lower back, buttocks, and all down your leg. You might also have shooting pain and or burning sensations in the same areas. Fortunately, there are a number of piriformis syndrome exercises designed specifically to help relieve your pain.
This article will first discuss the causes of piriformis syndrome and then will introduce one of the most simple and effective piriformis syndrome exercises for pain relief. Secondly, it will discuss the next step for long term piriformis syndrome relief.
Before going further, it helps to have a general understanding of piriformis syndrome. Piriformis syndrome is a very common condition that is usually grouped together with sciatica. Both conditions are caused by compression of the sciatic nerve. The symptoms and the pain are the same, but the causes are very different.
In classic spinal sciatica, the sciatic nerve roots get compressed at the base of the spine. But in piriformis syndrome, the compression actually happens further down, deep in the hips. During its path from the base of the spine and down through the legs, the sciatic nerve passes through the hips and buttocks. It is here that the sciatic nerve travels very close to the piriformis muscle.
In most people, the sciatic nerve passes under the piriformis muscle. In other people, sometimes the nerve passes right along side or sometimes straight through the piriformis muscle. In these cases, the sciatic is very vulnerable to compression by the piriformis muscle.
Your doctor might first recommend some pain killers and some anti-inflammatory drugs to treat your pain. Your doctor will also likely prescribe a series of stretches like the following simple sciatic stretch.
To do the simple sciatic stretch, the first step is to lie down on your back. Next, raise your affected leg and cross it over your good leg. Pull it over until the back of your raised leg is resting on top of your other leg. Now, slowly curl up so that you can grab your lower knee. Pull the knee in towards your body until you feel a good stretch.
As will any stretch, stop at any sign of pain. This stretch and other piriformis syndrome exercises should make you feel better, not worse. Go slowly and and take it easy. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and then release it. Repeat this several times in a row and then make sure you practice this several times a day.
With luck, you should begin to notice an improvement in your condition. But this is only the beginning. You can treat the pain, but you have not yet solved the problem. Left untreated, your pain will more than likely return.
The key to long term relief is to focus of identifying and then correcting the underlying physical dysfunctions and muscle imbalances that created your condition in the first place. Once you identify which muscle groups are out of balance, then select the piriformis syndrome exercises most suited to your condition.
Remember, don’t just treat the pain, solve the problem for good.
The good news is that it is easy to identify and learn to correct these underlying muscle imbalances. You don’t need to hire an expensive physical therapist. You can put together a program of piriformis syndrome exercises customized exactly to your condition. For more information, please visit: http://sciaticpainrelief.org
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