Are Piriformis Stretches Effective in Relieving Pain?
With each passing day, more and more people are getting addicted to a sedentary lifestyle. This lack of physical activity has made people experience numerous joint and muscle pains.
So, if you are also among those people then worry not as some types of exercises and stretches can help.
A sedentary life generally, affects the lower body as people tend to not move their legs that much. According to health experts people who are affected by this kind of pain, should try piriformis stretches.
If you want to talk to health experts with vast knowledge of joint and muscle pain, you can consult Dr Ramakant Kumar Best Knee Replacement Surgeon in Patna.
Meanwhile, in this blog, we will discuss are piriformis stretches effective in relieving pain for real or not. So, without any further ado let’s get started.
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Are Piriformis Stretches Effective in Relieving Pain?
To know if piriformis stretches are good for relieving pain or not, we should first understand what is piriformis.
So, it is a muscle that is located deep within the buttocks area. It extends from the base of the spine to the hip joint.
This means that issues related to the hip joint and spine can be the result of tight piriformis muscles.
However, the piriformis muscle is generally overlooked by many health experts. But, to their surprise, it plays a very vital role in performing daily activities.
A tight piriformis muscle can result in buttock pain which will not even allow you to sit properly. It can also result in Piriformis syndrome which will affect your sciatic nerve.
To treat piriformis syndrome quickly, health experts suggest that their patients do piriformis stretches.
These stretches improve the range of motion, decrease piriformis muscle tightness, and also improve blood circulation.
All of these help in relieving pain. But there are numerous stretches for the piriformis muscle, which one will be better for you?
Types of Piriformis Stretches
Piriformis stretches are indeed one of the best ways to deal with lower body pain and piriformis syndrome.
But, choosing between one among all the piriformis stretches can be difficult for you. This is why we are providing you with the names of 5 most effective ones:
#1. Sitting piriformis stretch on Chair
If your condition is so bad that you are searching for how to sit with piriformis syndrome, then you need to start with some comfortable stretches.
Chair-sitting piriformis stretch is one of the most comfortable stretches among all the poses. Here’s how to perform it:
Step 1. Sit on a chair with a few feet on the ground.
Step 2. Lift an ankle and put it on the opposite leg’s knee.
Step 3. Sit up, tall and straight, and flex the right foot
Step 4. Now with a straight spine bend forward until you feel the stretch.
Step 5. Now hold this position for a few seconds and release.
Step 6. Now repeat it with the other leg too.
#2. Supine Piriformis Stretch
If you believe that you can do that previous stretch perfectly, then it’s time to increase the difficulty a little more.
Supine piriformis stretch is one the most used stretches for treating piriformis syndrome. Follow these tips to perform this exercise:
Step 1. Firstly lie down on the ground with your back touching the floor.
Step 2. Then bend your both knees just shoulder width apart.
Step 3. Now lift your painful leg and put its ankle on the opposite leg’s thigh.
Step 4. Try to grab the thigh of the non-painful leg and bring it towards your chest slowly.
Step 5. Feel the stretch and hold this position for a few seconds.
Step 6. Repeat it with the other leg too.
#3. Prone Piriformis Stretch
Prone piriformis stretch is another very easy exercise to treat pain related to the hip and lower back area.
People who generally ask questions like “How to cure piriformis syndrome permanently” should try this exercise. Here are the steps to perform it:
Step 1. Be on the floor with your hands and knees touching the ground.
Step 2. Now bring your affected in front of your body and keep your calf parallel to the ground.
Step 3. Then try to sit in this position with your other leg extended behind you.
Step 4. Feel the stretch in the affected area and hold this position off as much as you can.
Step 5. Release this position and don’t force your body to touch the floor.
#4. Cross Body Piriformis Stretch
People who want to know how to sleep with piriformis syndrome should focus on treating their condition rather than adjusting to it.
They should try this cross-body piriformis stretch which is very effective in dealing with pain related to the hip and lower back area: Here’s how to perform it:
Step 1. Lie on the ground on your back with flat legs
Step 2. Now put the flat ankle of your affected leg next to the other leg’s knee.
Strep 3. Grab the knee of the bent leg with the opposite hand and pull it across the body.
Step 4. Stop pulling the knee of your bent leg where you feel the stretch.
Sep 5. Hold this position for as long as you feel comfortable.
#5. Sitting Piriformis Stretch
In previous sections, we have discussed a setting piriformis stretch but that was performed on the chair.
But, this one we will be performing on the floor, as it is more effective yet challenging too. So to perform this exercise follow these steps:
Step 1. Start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front.
Step 2. Now put the right leg’s ankle next to the left knee, by crossing the left leg.
Step 3. Place the right hand just behind the buttocks and stretch the bent leg’s thigh with the left hand.
Step 4. Hold the stretch as long as you want but not less than 30 seconds.
Step 5. Now release the position and repeat it with the other leg.
Use these exercises religiously if you want to get an experiential answer to the question “Are piriformis stretches effective in relieving pain?.
However, if these exercises are not helping you then you must be suffering from a serious issue that needs expert attention. Contact Dr Ramakant Kumar to get a perfect diagnosis of your piriformis muscle problems.
You can also read about >>>> Non Surgical Treatment for Back Pain
How Stretches for the Piriformis Muscle Work?
We can say that piriformis stretches are effective in relieving pain. They help in losing the tight muscles, improve the range of motion, and also increase the blood circulation in the affected area.
But there are numerous types of piriformis stretches, and choosing the best one among them can be difficult for you.
This is why we have given you the names of 5 piriformis stretches that are most commonly used because of their effectiveness.
Furthermore, if you want to know more about dealing with joint and muscle pain then contact Dr Ramakant Kumar the Best Orthopedic Doctor in Patna.
