The piriformis muscle is a small muscle that helps to rotate the leg out. According to the Sports Injury Clinic, the muscle runs from the sacrum, or base of the spine, and attaches to the femur near the outside crease of your buttocks. Pain and problems in the piriformis can be treated and prevented with strengthening exercises and stretching according to the Sports Injury Clinic.
Piriformis Pain
Piriformis syndrome is a problem that shows up as pain in the piriformis and surround leg muscles due to tightness in the piriformis muscle. The Sports Injury Clinic notes that if the piriformis muscle becomes tight it can put pressure on a major nerve, the sciatic nerve, which can cause pain to shoot down the leg. Further, the SIC adds that the sciatic nerve runs close to the piriformis muscle and in 10 percent of people the nerve actually passes straight through the muscle's fibers. According to the Sports Injury Clinic, symptoms of piriformis syndrome can include pain around the muscle, buttocks pain, pain in the legs including the hamstrings and calves and reduced range of motion in the hip. Strengthening and stretching exercises are often used to treat piriformis syndrome and pain.
Hip Adduction
Hip adduction exercises work the piriformis and other muscles in the hip flexor area. Hip adductions can be performed standing, lying or seated. You can perform hip adductions without weights, by using resistance bands or ankle weights or even with weighted resistance from machines. To perform standing or lying hip adductions, simply from the start with your legs together and then extend your outside leg as far away from your body as possible, hold for a second and then return to the starting position.
Clam Exercise
The clam exercise is similar to an adduction but because of the bent leg motion, it works the hip muscles a little differently. Clam exercises can be performed on a machine with both legs being adducted at once. To perform lying clam exercises with no weighted resistance, lie on your side, with your knees bent to an angle so that your feet line up with your spine. Your legs should be directly on top of one another. Then simply raise your top knee away from the other to pull your legs apart but keep your ankles together and touching. Raise the knee as far as you can, hold it for a second and then return to the starting position to complete one repetition. The Sports Injury Clinic notes that all movement should come from the hip, you should not move your back or tilt your pelvis.
Hip Extensions
Hip extensions strengthen hip flexors and the muscles of the buttocks which can help to relieve piriformis pain. Start on the ground on all fours, and keep your knees bent but extend one leg off the floor, moving the sole of your foot as high as you can toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position to complete one repetition. The Sports Injury Clinic recommends completing sets of 15 and gradually building up to two sets of 20 repetitions.
