Glute Activation & Hip Mobility Routine >>
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In this video, I’ll show you a couple of simple techniques you can use to achieve a piriformis stretch. This will help you get relief from piriformis syndrome symptoms and sciatica.
Piriformis Syndrome Stretch for Pain Relief
Piriformis syndrome can manifest itself in a number of ways, from buttock pain that many runners mistake for gluteal tightnes, to sciatica type symptoms. It’s important to make sure that while you can use exercises like the stretches in this video to relieve acute symptoms, you’re also working on the root causes of the problem…
Ensure that you don’t make one of the biggest mistakes I see people make when performing this exercise – forgetting to breathe!
Try to maintain a relaxed, regular breathing pattern as you perform this piriformis stretch, and try to gently exhale as you push deeper into the stretch.
Another option in terms of treating the symptoms of piriformis syndrome is self myo-fascial release. I shared a video on this approach in a previous blog post here:
Piriformis Trigger Point Release for Hip Pain and Butt Pain
You must of course remember that there is always a reason why a muscle becomes tight in the first place. Achieving a stretch will often provide short term relief from the symptoms, but you must also see-out the underlying cause of the tightness and ultimately pain.
As ever, do let me know how you get on with this one, and feel free to ask any question in the comments below 😀
How does this stretch the priformis? If it’s action (per Muscles: Testing and Function, with Posture and Pain by Florence Kendall description) is primarily external rotation, with assistance in abduction, and maybe assistance with extension then wouldn’t this suggested stretch shorten the muscle?
Because piriformis is an external rotator up until a certain point (~90 deg) of hip flexion where due to the anatomical lever arm around the hip joint, the deeper angle of flexion then makes piriformis an internal rotator. Thus deep hip flexion + external rotation = piriformis stretch. Adding adduction to this would increase the stretch further.
Hi, I have been recently diagnosed with Piriformis Syndrome despite being attending a sports injury clinic for almost a year. Can you give me any information of how to deal with this. Unfortunately the pain is consuming me lately and I feel like I have tried everything, PRP Muscle Injections, rehab stretching programmes, loading programmes etc. However, I am back where I started. Any advice would be great. Thank you.
Hi, I have been having pain in the gracilis and deep in the adductor area. I’m due to see a physio next week unable to get an appointment sooner.
I would be very grateful indeed if you could recommend any specific foam rolling techniques and specific stretches for the area. It is preventing me from running at all as the pain is immediate.
Thank you very much in advance if you’re available to give any advice.
Kind Regards
Donna Morgan
Hi,
I am running for last one year. Recently I have been experiencing hip pain on right side probably due to wrong form. It has been one month now and I am unable to run pain free. I take rest for a week and pain come back after few low pace runs. My doctor did not see anything in x-ray. Please comment on my problem
I have a really stong knee pain when I’m running for the past 4 months. Don’t know what is causing it.
Has anyone experienced knee pain? I was searching for some cremes and saw deep relief and acuraflex. Are those cremes any good for joint pain or does anyone have any idea what is causing the pain? I did find some articles on joint pain website but I also want your opinion.
https://joint-pain.co.uk/
Thank you