7 Powerful Piriformis Stretches To Get Rid Of Sciatica Pain

By Kwabena Okyire Appianing •  Updated: 08/15/20 •  11 min read

If you’re suffering from aching on the lower back and legs, then sciatica stretches can definitely save your day. The Piriformis muscle is a hip flexor, its main function is to stabilize the hip and move a leg, enabling you to walk or run (6). However, unfortunately, in some cases, it can also cause a lot of pain. Piriformis  Stretches however relief from your sciatica pain

 

Sciatica is often caused by strain on the piriformis muscle from an overuse. This can be caused by standing or sitting for long periods and can be aggravated by a poor posture. For example, if you have problems sitting down straight and find that you struggle to balance when walking or standing up straight, you may have piriformis strain. These symptoms can also be caused by an injury, such as a sprained ankle or a slipped disk.

 

You will first need to identify the strain on your piriformis muscle before you can decide which sciatica stretches to do. This is not as difficult as it sounds, and the key thing is to try and identify what you’re suffering from the pain and inflammation.

 

First of all, if you find that there is no pain, then this should mean that your piriformis has simply been shortened and weakened by continuous use. In many cases, this will only be caused by a bad posture – if your upper body is always tilting forwards or downwards, then your piriformis muscle is likely being forced down towards the floor when you walk. To stretch your piriformis properly, you’ll need to perform stretches such as Piriformis Stretch and Piriformis Strengthening.

 

If, however, you suffer from piriformis muscle pain, then you need to make sure that you’re correctly stretching your piriformis to release the tension that’s been causing your pain. This is often done through stretches like Piriformis Stretches, but other stretches can also help too, like Piriformis Stretch and Piriformis Strengthening. to help release the tension.

 

There are many sciatica stretches that can help with piriformis muscle pain, including hamstring stretches, piriformis stretch and sciatica stretches. Pirformic stretch, which is also known as the hamstring stretch, is very useful for strengthening the muscles on the side of your hamstrings. If done correctly, these sciatica stretches will lengthen the muscles and help to reduce muscle spasms, resulting in pain relief. If the pain is located on one side of your hamstring, stretch the hamstrings, then turn the other way and repeat the stretch on the other side.

 

Pirformis Stretch is a great stretch that’s often recommended for those who find that pirformis pain is coming on suddenly. All that’s required is to lie on your side, bend your knees and bring the hips up towards your chest. If done correctly, the Pirformis Stretch should stretch the muscles of the hip flexors. If you feel any pain, then you should stop immediately and seek medical advice, although stretching the Pirformis Stretch does not always necessarily mean that you have a broken muscle.

 

Sciatica stretches can help improve both the function and speed of your movement and relieve sciatica pain. But just because sciatica stretches help with sciatica pain doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily a cure. For a sciatica remedy that will give long-term benefits, you will require specific surgery or physical therapy. A specialist will know best about what the best approach to take when treating your pirformis strain.

 

As with any muscle strain, you must ensure that you don’t over-exert yourself. It’s advisable to rest a day or two after a particularly strenuous workout. You should also reduce your activity for a few days. Doing both of these things is usually enough to reduce the severity of the pain and it may even result in the occurrence of a muscle recurrence.

 

If your piriformis muscle strain doesn’t subside with rest and rehabilitation, you may require surgery. The surgeon may decide to use a technique called brachioplasty, which involves inserting screws under the piriformis tendon and taking out the joint. In some cases, the surgeon may also be able to remove the muscle tissue surrounding the tendon. Although this doesn’t eliminate the pain, it reduces the intensity of the pain.

 

Spasms that occur in the piriformis muscle can be treated with medication or muscle relaxants. These can help to control the spasms so that you aren’t constantly at risk of further damage. Anti-inflammatory drugs can also be used.

One of the most common problems among people who have recently developed sciatica is a Piriformis pain. Piriformis pain is caused by the Piriformis muscle contracting the sciatic nerve, just like when sitting in a chair or lying down on a car. Pain can also be caused when climbing stairs, wearing too much pressure on the piriformis muscle, sitting for prolonged periods of time, or simply standing up and moving around. In most cases, piriformis pain is not caused by piriformis syndrome, but it does vary from person to person.

Pirformis pain in the lower back is one of the most common symptoms of piriformis syndrome, as this condition is the cause of pirformis. The piriformis muscle is a group of four muscles that lie along the front wall of the hip, between the hip joint and the knee. When these muscles are contracted, it stretches the sciatic nerve to the extent that it becomes compressed, which is one of the main symptoms of piriformis syndrome.

Pirformis is a complex musculoskeletal problem, involving several muscle groups. While there is only one muscle group responsible for piriformis, the group of four muscles are important to the functioning of the other muscles involved in the lower spine. In fact, many other performs symptoms can be attributed to muscle imbalances, which are caused by piriformis itself. The piriformis muscle has been found to relax when performing specific movements such as walking or climbing stairs, and this can lead to other problems with balance and gait.

Pirformis can result in both acute and chronic pain, and the pain can be mild or severe depending on the location of the piriformis and the intensity of the muscle contraction. Pirformis pain can also be caused by the Piriformis tendon rupturing or herniated, and in some cases the Piriformis muscle may be inflamed and damaged due to repetitive physical trauma.

The most common treatment for sciatica and pirformis pain are exercise, stretching, and pain relief medication. Some of these treatment methods have been successful in reducing the pain, and in many cases a combination of the three are necessary. If the pain is chronic and is caused by muscle imbalance, the patient may need to use physical therapy or physiotherapy. A physiotherapist will prescribe exercises for strengthening and stretching the muscles to help alleviate the pain.

While stretching and strengthening are the recommended methods of treatment, physiotherapy can also provide relief for sciatica and pirformis pain through special exercises that target the Piriformis and piraciceminis. These exercises help strengthen and lengthen the muscles, preventing or eliminating the pain. These exercises help to improve posture and reduce pain while the patient is sleeping. Aspirin and NSAID drugs have also been used to relieve the pain in severe sciatica conditions, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are sometimes prescribed.

Powerful Piriformis Stretches 2021

Give these 10 powerful piriformis stretches a try— and be sure to watch the videos, too.

1. Simple Seated Stretch

  1. Start by sitting in a chair and cross your sore leg over the knee of your other leg.
  2. While keeping your spine straight, bend your chest forward. If you don’t feel pain, bend forward a little more.
  3. Hold this position for about 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat this stretch with your other leg.

2. Standing Piriformis Stretches

If you have trouble balancing with this stretch, stand with your back against a wall and your feet about 24 inches from the wall for extra support.

  1. While standing, place the leg that’s causing you pain over the knee of your other leg. It should create the shape of the number 4.
  2. Lower your hips at a 45-degree angle until they reach the ground. Bend the leg you’re standing on as needed.
  3. As you bend forward at the waist, reach your arms down to the ground while keeping your spine straight.
  4. Hold for 30-60 seconds.
  5. Switch legs when done

3. Supine Piriformis Stretches

  1. Lie down and bend your knees upwards.
  2. Cross the affected leg over your other leg and bend it upwards toward your chest.
  3. Grab your knee with one hand and your ankle in your other hand. Pull the bent leg across your body until your glutes are pulled tight.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and release.

4. Outer Hip Piriformis Stretches

  1. Lying on your back, bend your sore leg upward and place your foot close to the back of your other knee.
  2. Tuck your foot behind that knee and twist your leg to the opposite side. Your knee should be touching the ground (or as close as you can get).
  3. Place the hand on your opposite knee and raise your opposite arm in the air.
  4. Hold for 20 seconds.
  5. Switch to the other leg.

You’ll want to recover from this stretch! Lie on your back, bend both knees together and gently pull them with your hands toward your chest.

5. Groin/Long Adductor Stretches

  1. Sitting on the floor, stretch your legs straight out in front of you, spread as far apart as possible.
  2. Place your hands on the floor next to each other while angling your torso forward toward the ground.
  3. Lean forward and rest your elbows on the ground. If you encounter pain, stop right away!
  4. Remain in the position for 10-20 seconds

6. Inner Thigh/Short Adductor Stretch

  1. While sitting on the ground, put the soles of your feet together in front of your pelvis.
  2. Hold your ankles with the opposite hands (left hand – right ankle and vice versa).
  3. Gently push downward with your knees with the effort to touch the ground with them. You need to stop right before any pain occurs, which means that if you feel pain, get back an inch or two and stay there.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds, release, and flutter your legs in that position (like a butterfly) for 30 seconds.

Want an even deeper stretch? Push your knees down with your elbows or bend your torso forward while keeping your back straight.

7. Side Lying Clam 

  1. Lie down on the side of your body that isn’t in pain.
  2. Bend your legs back, holding one foot over the other and keeping your legs parallel to each other. You should be creating an “L” shape.
  3. Keeping your feet together, lift up the top knee while keeping the rest of your body in the original position.
  4. Slowly bring your knee to the initial position.
  5. Repeat 15 times.

8. Hip Extension 

  1. Get down on the ground on all fours, making sure your hands are in line with your shoulders.
  2. Raise your affected leg upward with your knee bent toward the ceiling.
  3. Gradually lower your leg until it’s almost touching the ground.
  4. Repeat 15 times.

9. Supine Piriformis Side Stretch

  1. Lie on the ground with your legs flat and back straight.
  2. Bend your sore leg upward, resting the foot on the outer side of the opposite leg beside the knee.
  3. Ease the knee of your affected leg across the middle of your body with your opposite hand until you feel a stretch, making sure to keep both your shoulders and hips on the ground.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds, return to the starting position and switch legs.
  5. Repeat the process 2-3 times

10. Buttocks Stretch for the Piriformis Muscle

  1. Place your hands and knees on the ground, getting into position on all fours.
  2. Bring the foot of your affected leg underneath your stomach, twisting it toward the opposite side near the hip, while pointing with the knee toward the shoulder.
  3. Lower your head, until your forehead touches the ground, and lean your forearms on the ground for support.
  4. Slowly stretch the non-affected leg out behind you, while keeping your pelvis straight.
  5. Push your hips slightly toward the floor.
  6. Hold for 30 seconds and return to the initial position slowly. Repeat 2-3 times.

 

Kwabena Okyire Appianing