Piriformis Muscle Stretch - What a Pain in the Butt!

Your piriformis is a small muscle located deep in the buttock. It has 2 main functions depending on the position of your hip. If your hip is in extension (such as when you're standing up), the piriformis is responsible for external rotation of your femur (thigh bone). If your hip is in flexion (such as when you're sitting in a chair) then the piriformis muscle is responsible for abduction of your hip (spreading open your thighs).

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Your piriformis is a small, flat muscle in your gluteal region that is pyramidal in shape. It has attachments along the lateral aspect of the sacrum and at the greater trochanter (hip bone)

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Passing underneath the piriformis muscle is your sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve and its branches innervate the entire leg! That means that if your piriformis muscle is too tight, injured or dysfunctional, it may press down on the sciatic nerve and block the normal nerve function. That description is actually a condition called Piriformis Syndrome. There can be varying symptoms but pain and numbness that travels down one leg is the most common complaint.

Your piriformis can tighten up from too much walking, running and even from too much sitting! In my opinion, it's one of the most important muscles to stretch! Follow the pictures and instructions below to start stretching your piriformis!

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1.  Sit flat on floor with legs straight in front of you
2. Bend your LEFT knee and cross that leg over your straight leg 
3. Hug your LEFT knee towards your chest
4. As you hug your knee, gently rotate/twist your torso to the LEFT (this should feel natural)

To deepen this stretch then as you hug your LEFT knee, try to hug it up towards your RIGHT shoulder.

Swap LEFTs and RIGHTs to stretch the other piriformis.

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1. Sit in a chair or on a surface where your feet are free to dangle or rest flat
2. Cross your RIGHT ankle to rest on your LEFT thigh slightly above the knee
3. Ensure that your shoulders and hips are facing the same way (don't let your body twist)
4. With your butt flat in your seat, start to lean forward and reach out towards the ground in front of you
5. You should feel the stretch on the piriformis in your RIGHT butt

To deepen this stretch then as you're leaning forward, you can use your RIGHT hand to apply some downward pressure on your right knee.

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1. Lay supine (flat on your back, facing up)
2. Create a "figure 4" by crossing your RIGHT ankle just above your LEFT knee
3. From this position, you now bend and raise your LEFT knee (this will also cause your RIGHT leg to raise)
4. You should notice an opening created by the "hole" of the figure 4
5. Reach through the opening with your RIGHT hand
6. Interlock your fingers to hug your LEFT thigh and gently pull it towards your chest
7. You should be feeling the stretch on your RIGHT piriformis muscle

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1. Start prone (laying faced down)
2. Use your hands to push yourself up part way
3. Bring your RIGHT leg forward so that it's crossed and resting on the floor in front of you
4. Ensure that your hips and shoulders are facing the same direction (do not twist!)
5. Bend forward at your waist to deepen the stretch

Experiment with this stretch when you're on the final step and are bending forward. If you bend diagonally forward to either the left or right, you will feel different parts of the piriformis stretching.

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None of the stretches shown should cause any numbness, tingling, pain or discomfort. If you feel any pain during your stretch, please stop and consult your Chiropractor, it might be time to have your spine checked. Click HERE to make an appointment.

Don't ever force the stretch. As you're reaching into the stretch, try to breathe out. As you breathe out, focus on keeping the leg on the same side as you're stretching relaxed. As the piriformis muscle relaxes, you can gently push/pull to deepen the stretch. You should find that you're able to stretch further when you relax into the stretch. It just takes a bit of mindfulness, practice and consistency to stretch properly.

​Try some of these great piriformis stretches out for yourself and feel the difference it makes! 

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