Stretching the Piriformis Muscle

Understanding the Piriformis Muscle

Are you experiencing sciatica-like pain? The root cause could be a tight piriformis muscle. The piriformis muscle is located deep within the gluteal region, just beyond the larger gluteus maximus. It begins at the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) and runs diagonally to the femur (thigh bone). Its primary functions include external rotation of the hip joint (turning the leg and foot outward) and stabilizing the pelvis, especially when the opposite leg is in use.

Role in Sciatic Pain

The sciatic nerve runs directly beneath the piriformis muscle. When the piriformis muscle tightens or spasms, it can compress the sciatic nerve, resulting in sciatica-like symptoms such as shooting pain, tingling, or numbness that radiates down the leg.

Ways to Stretch the Piriformis Muscle

There are several ways to stretch the piriformis muscle. The best way to stretch depends on how tight the muscle is and what position is optimal for you.

Laying Down

One way to stretch the piriformis muscle is by lying on your back, bending both knees, crossing one ankle on top of the opposite knee. Next, gently bring your knee toward your body, or push your knee away from your body. For a deeper stretch, loop your hands around your hamstring on the supporting leg and gently pull your leg toward your body for a figure four stretch.

Sitting

A second way to stretch the piriformis muscle is to sit up in a chair. With a straight back, bend both knees and cross one ankle on top of the opposite knee. Gently push down on your knee or hug your knee toward your body. If it’s difficult to place your ankle above the knee, place your ankle on your shin, wrap a towel around your ankle, and gently slide your ankle toward your knee.

Standing or Sitting with a Tennis Ball

Using a tennis ball, stand against a wall. Place the tennis ball in your hand and place the ball between your hip and the wall. Roll the ball around until you find the area that feels tight, then gently massage for 1-2 minutes. You can also use the tennis ball method in a seated position, such as in a car or on a plane, by placing the tennis ball underneath your hip and rolling your hips for 1-2 minutes.

In this video, I’ll demonstrate each type of piriformis stretch.

A licensed physical therapist can help identify tightness in the piriformis and administer proper treatment. To schedule an appointment with a physical therapist at Sheltering Arms Institute, please visit www.shelteringarmsinstitute.com/contact-us or call (804) 764-1000.

Share This Post:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
RehaBlog

More Posts

The Interdisciplinary Approach in Rehabilitation to Multiple Sclerosis Care

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects nearly 1 million people in the United States alone. MS is an immune-mediated disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the myelin insulation that surrounds the nerves in the central nervous system. This damage causes widespread symptoms varying in severity, including fatigue, weakness, sensation loss, visual impairments, and walking and balance impairments. These symptoms of MS can impact someone’s mobility, quality of life, ability to work and provide for their family, relationships, and community participation. Because these symptoms can impact so many aspects of a person’s life, a rehabilitative care team should consist of multiple disciplines that work together to provide a collaborative, all-encompassing care plan, called interdisciplinary care.

9 Ways to Improve Sleep After a Concussion

After a concussion, there are a lot of common misconceptions about sleep. Mainly, is it safe to sleep following this mild traumatic brain injury? The answer is yes – it is okay to sleep after a concussion! This misconception stems from an out-of-date recommendation to wake the person up every hour to check on them. However, that is only if there is concern about the risk for a brain hemorrhage or bleed that wasn’t immediately apparent.

Clinical research scientist

Five Reasons to Participate in Research

During my participation in a clinical trial, I was able to learn first-hand about the process surrounding medical discoveries. I also gained an understanding of how to advocate for my health and learned to ask more questions about the risks involved in different medical treatments. Participation in research was incredibly beneficial to me personally. To help you learn more about research participation, we’ve compiled a list of 5 reasons to participate in research.

How to Measure Exercise Intensity

Target heart rate (HR) is a great way to measure exercise intensity to get the most out of your workout. For most people, it provides an accurate way to measure the safety of an activity in relation to the percentage of your maximum heart rate. However, for some people, because of several medications that regulate HR (such beta blockers) or the availability to acquire a device that monitors HR, using HR alone to measure exercise intensity can be challenging.

How to Maximize Physical Therapy Visits from Insurance

As a new year begins, so do new health insurance deductibles and benefits. It’s important to be aware of your healthcare expenses to plan for the year ahead. For those seeking physical rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, it’s important to remember that health insurance may not cover unlimited sessions. Understanding how to make the most of your visits covered by insurance is key to maximizing your benefits. Read on to learn how you can get the most out of your therapy visits while extending the time spent on your recovery to achieve your goals.

Start your Journey

Learn more about Sheltering Arms Institute

Contact a specialist at Sheltering Arms Institute to learn more about how you can gain more freedom in your everyday life.