Stretch Your Piriformis to Avoid Sciatica Pain
There are a variety of factors that can contribute to sciatica pain, many of which involve issues with the discs in the spine. These can include spinal stenosis, herniated or degenerative discs, and spondylolisthesis.
Each of these conditions puts pressure on the sciatic nerve and can cause pain, tingling, numbness and/or weakness in the affected area.
These are NOT the conditions that I am addressing in this post. I am not a medical professional. If you have any of these conditions, please seek help from your doctor.
I am a personal trainer however and have helped hundreds of clients minimize and eliminate sciatica pain caused by piriformis syndrome.
This post IS about stretching your piriformis muscle (which is located deep within your glutes) regularly so that it does not become so tight that it compresses your sciatic nerve, which creates unwanted discomfort and pain.
Many of us have very tight piriformis muscles due to all of the sitting we do. The muscles in our glutes are constantly being compressed and shortened, which results in tightness and discomfort.
Depending on your level of flexibility, or lack thereof, one of more of these stretches may be difficult for you. If this is the case, practice the one that is least uncomfortable and allow yourself to stretch several times per day holding the stretch for no less than 30 seconds.
If these stretches are all easy for you, but you still experience occasional sciatica pain or discomfort in your piriformis, alternate between the stretches and allow yourself to do them regularly throughout your day.
When you are doing these stretches, there should be no pain in your hip or knee, though you may feel some discomfort in the muscles as they are stretching.
The “4” piriformis stretches are:
Seated “4” stretch from a chair - Cross one ankle over your knee and gently press down on your crossed leg.
Seated “4” stretch from the floor - Keep one leg straight. Bend the other leg and bring it across your body with your foot on the ground. Use your biceps to pull your leg in closer to your body.
Lying “4” stretch on the floor - Engage your abs. Bend both knees with feet on the floor and cross one ankle over the knee. Pull your legs in closer to your body.
Lying “4” stretch on a foam roller - This is the same as #4 above but you place a foam roller under your hips. Make sure that the foam roller is NOT on your lower back. It also needs to be above your glutes or it will slide away.
Seated “4” stretch on a foam roller - This is the same stretch that you did in #1 but you are sitting on one side of your glute while on the foam roller. This is the most intense stretch so it does not make sense to use this one until you have minimized your discomfort in the other stretches first.
Each of the stretches are shown in the video below. If you find the videos helpful, please subscribe to my YouTube channel.
