Make Sciatica Less of a Pain with Piriformis Muscle Exercises
If you suffer from piriformis syndrome, you’re well aware that one of the most common symptoms is severe sciatica pain. As a result, many people mistakenly think that sciatica is caused by piriformis syndrome. But while sciatica occurs when the vertebral column irritates the sciatica nerve, piriformis syndrome is actually the result of the piriformis muscle irritating the root of the sciatic nerve.
This muscle is found within the hip and is located right near the sciatic nerve. When it gets inflamed or very tight, it leads to intense sciatica pain, numbness, and tingling in the lower back that sometimes can be felt in the leg and foot. It’s so uncomfortable that it drives many people to search for piriformis syndrome treatment to get sciatica pain relief.
How Piriformis Syndrome Exercises Can Help You Get Sciatica Pain Relief
A piriformis stretch can help relieve sciatica pain. These stretches are often the fastest, easiest, and most-effective forms of sciatica treatment. And it can be done in a number of ways and various positions, with your options shown below:
- Start by lying on your back with your legs completely flat. Bring the painful leg up to your chest, making sure to hold your knee with the hand on that side, while grabbing your ankle with your other hand. Then, pull your knee toward the other ankle until you feel a deep stretch and try to hold for 30 seconds before going back to the starting position. Try to do a set of three stretches.
- Begin by lying on the floor with your legs totally flat. Next, lift the painful leg and move that foot onto the floor just past the other knee. Then, bring the knee of your bent leg across the middle of your body until you feel the stretch and hold for 30 seconds. Then slowly go back to the beginning position and repeat the piriformis stretch for a set of three.
- Get started by lying on the floor, crossing the painful leg over the other one at the knees while keeping both legs bent. Then, slowly bring your lower knee toward the shoulder on that side right until you feel a stretch. Try to hold this position for 30 seconds before returning to how you began. Strive to perform a set of three exercises.