Piriformis Syndrome Exercises – Are They Enough?
If you are suffering from Piriformis Syndrome, your doctor will most likely recommend a series of piriformis syndrome exercises and stretches to help ease your pain. These stretches focus on reducing the tension in the muscle, relieving the pressure on the sciatic nerve, and giving any irritation and swelling a chance to heal.
What is piriformis syndrome?
The piriformis muscle is a muscle located deep in the hip. The problem is that is runs very close to the sciatic nerve, a long bundle of nerve fibers that runs from the base of the spine down each leg. In some people, the sciatic nerve runs in front of the piriformis muscle. In other cases, it runs behind it. In a small percentage of the population, the sciatic nerve actually runs through a fork in the muscle.
In each case, this close proximity means that the piriformis muscle can squeeze and/or irritate the sciatic nerve. This often results in intense pain, pain that radiates up and down the leg. Other people report numbness, tingling, or that pins and needles sensation all along their leg.
Doctors often incorrectly diagnose this condition as sciatica. In truth, the nerve is not being impinged at the spine. It is happening farther down in the hip where the nerve crosses the piriformis muscle.
Doctors usually prescribe pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat the condition. This helps to ease the pain and reduce any swelling. Then they recommend a course of physical therapy involving piriformis syndrome stretches.
However…
Click here to learn why piriformis syndrome stretches are only part of the solution.
What are some examples of typical piriformis syndrome exercises?
The piriformis syndrome exercises are designed to ease pressure on the sciatic nerve. They are all stretches that aim to stretch out the muscles and prevent tightening and further constriction on the nerve.
Supine Piriformis Stretch
This is an easy stretch to do. There are several variations on this stretch, but the one I like is as follows:
Lie on your back. Cross your affected leg over the other leg at the knee. Now, curl up and grab your lower knee. Pull this knee up towards the shoulder on the same side. You’ll start to feel the stretch. You should feel the stretch in your leg, not your knee. Try to hold this position for about thirty seconds before releasing and returning to your starting position. Try to do this three times in a row a few times a day.
Buttocks Stretch
Another example of a piriformis syndrome exercise is as follows:
Start by getting on all fours. Cross your affected leg underneath you but keep your knee on the outside of your body. Now, slowly lower yourself down on to your elbows. At the same time, extend your good leg and your hips backwards. You don’t need to go all the way to the floor, instead, go just until you feel the stretch. Make you you feel the stretch in your leg, not your knee. Do this three times in a row and repeat several times throughout the day.
Hamstring Stretch
Regardless of the source of your sciatica, many people also find relief from hamstring stretches. I’m sure you’ve done stretches like this before. Simply lie on your back and lift your affected leg. Grab and hold your leg behind the knee. Some people find it easier to use a towel to hold the leg up. Slowly straighten our your leg until you feel the stretch. Do everything slowly and try to hold the position for at least 10 seconds. Don’t bounce your leg. Repeat this several times a day and try to hold the position for longer and longer.
But are these piriformis syndrome stretches enough?
So here is the catch. Each piriformis syndrome exercise is designed to ease pain and build flexibility. They are good for short term pain relief only. If you really want to treat your condition, you need to adopt a more comprehensive strategy. The conditions and muscle imbalances that led to your piriformis syndrome have been slowly building for years. If you simply treat the pain and ignore the underlying causes, it is very likely that your symptoms will soon return.
Recommended Program
I looked into several piriformis syndrome exercise therapy programs, but only one really stood out for me. It stood out because it went deeper than the rest, helping to diagnose, treat, and correct the underlying conditions that caused all the symptoms in the first place.
Click here to learn why piriformis syndrome exercises are only part of the solution.
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Thank you for putting everything so clearly and accurately. I have mis diagnosed for years and need to get a handle on treatment AND prevention.