Help for Piriformis muscle

dredremeg

Does anyone have suggestions how to relieve the piriformis muscle? I recently started running and this muscle has gotten so tight that I can feel the pain in my right butt and down the back of my thigh.

ew_david

Foam roller and a lacrosse ball. Roll it out!

dym123

Agree with the foam roller, in fact while looking for foam rolling videos on You Tube, found one specifically for the piriformis.

nuttyduffy

I'm suffering with mine at the moment - ignored it and pulled my hamstring too!!! I found a number of stretches that are helping:
1. Lie on the floor, hug your knee to your chest and then with the opposite hand pull your foot towards you and up. Do both sides 3 times.
2. Lie on your back, bend one knee and place the ankle of the other leg on your knee. Pull your bent knee slowly towards you. Both side 3 times.
3. Lie on your back, straighten one leg straight in the air with the foot flexed. Slowly lower your leg in a straight line to the opposite side. Both sides 3 times.

I also found this really good yoga workout on Youtube, that really helps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDQNqZMv1V0

Foam roller too, as already suggested

davidcliff

check out Joe Defranco's 'Limber 11'

Lofteren

Cross your leg over your knee and roll your buttcheek around on a baseball. If you do it a couple times a day, everyday, it will subside pretty quickly.

glevinso

_dracarys_ wrote: »

Foam roller and a lacrosse ball. Roll it out!

Yup - I sit on a lacrosse ball all the time when this issue strikes.

kpw818

+1 for ball and foam rolling. I also think tight hip flexors will pull on the piriformis and cause issues. I battle it every once in awhile after dealing with pretty consistent pain last winter.

I also do glute exercises to help strengthen (but wait until pain is gone)

dredremeg

Thanks everyone, I will go out and get a foam roller today.

Azdak

http://youtu.be/2qZ517Rw7ME

This is my go to exercise for any piriformis issues.