Help for Piriformis muscle

dredremeg
dredremeg Posts: 202 Member
edited November 14 in Fitness and Exercise
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.

Replies

  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    Foam roller and a lacrosse ball. Roll it out!
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Agree with the foam roller, in fact while looking for foam rolling videos on You Tube, found one specifically for the piriformis.
  • nuttyduffy
    nuttyduffy Posts: 255 Member
    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
    davidcliff Posts: 144 Member
    check out Joe Defranco's 'Limber 11'
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    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
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    _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
    kpw818 Posts: 113 Member
    +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
    dredremeg Posts: 202 Member
    Thanks everyone, I will go out and get a foam roller today.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    http://youtu.be/2qZ517Rw7ME

    This is my go to exercise for any piriformis issues.
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