3 Ways To Stretch Your Piriformis
There’s a tiny muscle in your deep hip complex called the piriformis. This little guy [or lady] seems to get a bad rap in the fitness and medical communities alike. I can not tell you how many times I have been told this muscle is “tight” or that this muscle is the culprit of one’s aches and pains. Well, I hate to be the one that breaks it to you, BUT, “tight” does not always mean there is a contractile or shortening of the muscle. Seriously! Tight can mean
poor joint range of motion
poor muscle flexibility
sensitive nerve tension
referred pain from elsewhere
poor skin suppleness
or perhaps even just the “feeling” of tightness due to a perceived threat or fatigue (check out Todd’s blog for more on this topic)
My point is, there’s more to just slapping a diagnosis of “tight” tissue on someone and telling them to stretch. You’ve got to know more to really alleviate said tightness . Book a consultation here!
Where is the piriformis located?
Now that we have a better understanding of “tightness”, let me educate you on the actual location of the tiny tissue causing so many issues. The piriformis is an external rotator of the hip that runs from the front of the sacrum (tailbone) and inserts onto the greater trochanter of the femur. There’s a famous structure called the Sciatic nerve that lives really really close to this muscle. There’s also several other tiny muscles the live nearby. If this is still confusing, place your hands on your side butt and press deep into those dimples. Here lives the piriformis and its neighbors.
I think this is important to understand because it’s almost impossible to isolate a single structure in there, that you are never only stretching the piriformis when you do the movement drills listed below. Instead I really like to refer to these as posterior hip stretches and mobilizations.
“Ok. Ok. I get it. But now what?”
Well now let me show you 3 movement drills you can apply to your movement regimen to help stretch and mobilize that piriformis. (posterior hip complex)
Walking Piriformis Stretch
Elevated Piriformis Stretch on bench
Modified Pigeon
Well there you have it folks, 3 ways to ""stretch” your piriformis.
Happy stretching,
Dr. Pablo
If you live in or around the Edwardsville area and are experiencing back pain or hip pain that doesn’t seem to get better, click here to work with our team and begin finding relief.
