The piriformis is a muscle that runs from the spine to the thigh bone of an individual. It is a difficult-to-reach muscle in the human body. When this muscle pushes against the sciatic nerve, the condition is known as piriformis syndrome. Most of the time, the condition occurs due to too much of sitting. An inflamed or tight piriformis could result in excruciating pain. This article provides information on how to correctly perform a piriformis stretch to prevent piriformis syndrome.
A tight piriformis is caused due to numerous conditions. When you are hunching in a chair with your hips rotated outward, it puts a lot of pressure on the lower back. This will make your hips tight that it creates an imbalance in the entire system. This is one way that could result in the condition. But the condition is not always caused due to inaction. In fact, a vigorous activity such as running and certain accidents can result in the condition.
A piriformis stretch is important to get rid of the syndrome that causes excruciating pain and discomfort. The key to an effective stretch is to sit up straight. There is no point in stretching out a muscle if you keep on tightening it thereafter. First, you need to roll up a hand towel and sit on a firm surface. Now, find your butt bones or the bones that are located at the lowest part of your posterior. You should be sitting directly on top of these bones. Take the rolled up towel and place it under the fat behind the bones.
Once you find this perfect spot, you should contract the abdominals and relax the shoulders and neck. Then, pull your shoulders back with the use of the armpit muscles. In this posture, your feet should be flat on the floor. Lastly, raise the left leg and place its ankle on the opposite knee. Reverse the positions to stretch the muscles on both legs. This is one of the most effective workouts to keep your piriformis muscle healthy and prevent piriformis syndrome.
Stretching the muscle can keep your knee and ankle healthy in the long run. This will help reduce your risk of knee and ankle pain. It can also heal symptoms of plantar fasciitis, which is a condition where the fascia on the bottom of the feet gets inflamed. People with a tight piriformis will end up walking a “duck walk.” This will place extra strain on the bottom of these people’s feet. You should make sure to not overdo the piriformis muscle stretch like with any other exercise. Stop doing it if it hurts a lot. These are important things to consider when performing the piriformis muscle stretch.
Millions of people suffer from piriformis syndrome in this day and age. Stretching the muscle on a regular basis is the best remedy for this condition. In fact, a piriformis muscle stretch should be done with utmost care. Done correctly, it can help relieve the excruciating pain and discomfort associated with the syndrome.
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