Your piriformis muscle attaches to the base of your spine and the top of your thigh bone and allows you to turn your leg outwards. When this muscle compresses the sciatic nerve, it can cause the condition known as piriformis syndrome. Exercises to stretch and relax this muscle, and those that surround it, form part of the treatment to relieve the symptoms.
About Piriformis Syndrome
One of the main causes of piriformis syndrome is tight inner thigh muscles, says the website Sportsinjuryclinic.net. When these muscles are tight, they don’t function properly, which places greater strain on the piriformis. If it becomes overworked, it can start pressing on the sciatic nerve. This nerve delivers feeling all the way down your legs and when it is compressed, you are likely to feel pain in your buttocks and the backs of your thighs. You may also find it difficult or painful to rotate your leg in the hip joint and your buttock muscles may be tender to the touch. You can do exercises to ease the tension in your piriformis just as easily at home as at the gym.
Piriformis Stretch
Lie on your back with the knee of the uninjured leg bent and the foot flat on the floor, says Sportsinjuryclinic.net. Place the ankle of the injured leg against the bent knee, just below the kneecap, so the knee is pointing to the side. Clasp your hands under the uninjured knee and slowly draw it in towards your chest. You should feel a stretch through the injured buttock – hold for about 30 seconds then relax and do three sets of three to five repetitions throughout the day.
Inner Thigh Stretch
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart then bend the uninjured leg, pointing the knee directly forwards, says Sportsinjuryclinic.net. Lean gently into the bent leg and keep the injured leg straight so you feel a stretch through the groin and inner thigh on that leg. Hold for 30 seconds then relax and, again, aim to complete three sets of up to five repetitions throughout the day.
Outer Hip and Buttock Stretch
For both of these stretches, hold the position for 30 seconds then relax and repeat three times. Lie on your back with both legs straight along the floor, says physical therapist Ron S. Miller, on the spine-health website. Raise the injured leg and use your hand on the same side to hold just below the kneecap. Grasp your raised ankle with your other hand then gently pull on the ankle to draw the knee towards your opposite shoulder. Go as far as you need to feel a stretch through your injured buttock and hip. Starting in the same position, bend your injured leg and place the foot on the outside of the opposite knee, which should be straight along the floor. Place your opposite hand on the thigh of your bent leg and apply gentle pressure to draw the knee across your body. You won’t need to move the leg far to feel the stretch.
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