Tightness in the hips and buttocks can cause a condition known as sciatica. One of the major symptoms of sciatica is pain that radiates down the back of the leg and up into the lower back. You may also experience a trigger point in your buttock. This trigger point may feel like a knot and be tender to the touch. By sitting on a tennis ball you can relax this trigger point to relieve sciatica pain.
Step 1
Sit on a couch or similar cushioned surface, such as an ottoman or plush chair. A sciatic trigger point is very sensitive. The surface you sit on should be hard enough to provide resistance but soft enough to allow the ball to sink a little.
Step 2
Cross the knee of your affected leg over the opposite knee. If you are unable to completely cross your legs, cross your affected ankle or calf over the opposite knee.
Step 3
Shift your weight to the opposite hip, and press your fingers into the affected buttock until you feel a knot. If you do not feel a knot, find the area where the pain is most intense.
Step 4
Press the tennis ball against the trigger point and shift your weight back onto the affected hip. You may feel a sharp but not unbearable pain. If so, keep your leg crossed and sit for 10 minutes, or until the pain passes.
Step 5
Lift your hip off the ball if the pain is unbearable. Adjust the ball until the pain is bearable, and sit for 10 minutes, or until the pain passes.
Step 6
Rest the affected foot on the floor, if you do not feel pain. Adjust the position of your leg and/or the tennis ball until you feel a sharp but bearable pain. Sit for 10 minutes, or until the pain passes.
Things You'll Need
- Tennis ball
References
- MayoClinic.com: Sciatica
- SpineUniverse: Piriformis Syndrome
- "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief"; Clair Davies, et al.; 2004
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