topic Re: Piriformis Syndrome in Wellness

Piriformis Syndrome

fortune — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 04:00:37 GMT

Has anyone been diagnosed with Piriformis Syndrome? What did you do to make it better? It is really painful!!!

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

appleseed — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 04:10:40 GMT

Yes, I have it, too. What I've been told is it requires a combination of strengthening and stretching, but I can't seem to get past the "hard knots"! It seems like stretching isn't doing anything helpful because my gluteus muscles have forgotten how to relax..? They stay in constant spasm, which makes it very hard to effectively strengthen OR stretch them, which leaves me in a vicious cycle. It's frustrating, and I'm too young at 50 to be hobbling around looking much older than I am.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

Remee — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 04:11:52 GMT

Have you both tried yoga and meditation ?

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

baddest_dog — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 12:27:26 GMT

yes, have suffered from it. do this exercise daily and it will get better. I can now stretch my leg so that my foot touches my neck. It takes a long time to stretch muscles and become flexible but it works.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

violann — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 13:17:30 GMT

I literally could not walk more than 10 consecutive steps from Novemer 2011 until Spring 2012. Then I had a massage given by a massage therapist, and from then on, I was able to do the stretches and using a 2 liter soda bottle to roll the sore spot of my legs on, and now I have no pain. I am MUCH older than you are, acim, so if you're not in any progrm, try a session with a massage THERAPIST. My favorite loosening exercise is sitting on a kitchen chair with one leg crossed and my ankle above my knee, and bending from the waist while aiming my nose at the crossed ankle. Hurts like blazes when you start but amazing for stretching the Gluteus Maximus. I never, ever have trouble with this now.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

meem120 — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 13:30:24 GMT

On 10/6/2014 baddest_dog said:
yes, have suffered from it. do this exercise daily and it will get better. I can now stretch my leg so that my foot touches my neck. It takes a long time to stretch muscles and become flexible but it works.

This is the only thing that has helped me. I do it 2 0r 3 times a day and hold it for 30 seconds. Had t work up to that because it was so painful. I usually do 5 sets. It works!!

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

ninjasmom — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 16:12:05 GMT

This is so painful.I could not sleep at night,and I could never straighten out my leg all of the way. I went to a chiropractor and he asked my if I ever sit with my leg under me . I always do this because of the way I come out of the lab into my office chair,I kind of slide in.

I started to make sure I was sittingin my chair properley and then the most helpful thing he told me was to sit with a tennis ball under me. This was a miracle! Just push it under you where the pain and tightness it and it provides pressure to relieve the spasm,if it is really bad some times a firmer ball works even better.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

fortune — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 16:40:23 GMT

Thank you so much for your helpful suggestions!

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

Nightowlz — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 19:47:42 GMT

I do this stretch I lean forward a bit & press down on my knee. It hurts but it helps. I also have DH massage the area with the Goosebumps I bought from Q years ago which really helps. Sometimes I will put 1 of the Goosebumps under the area & press down on it.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

sfnative — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:07:49 GMT

On 10/6/2014 violann said: I literally could not walk more than 10 consecutive steps from Novemer 2011 until Spring 2012. Then I had a massage given by a massage therapist, and from then on, I was able to do the stretches and using a 2 liter soda bottle to roll the sore spot of my legs on, and now I have no pain. I am MUCH older than you are, acim, so if you're not in any progrm, try a session with a massage THERAPIST. My favorite loosening exercise is sitting on a kitchen chair with one leg crossed and my ankle above my knee, and bending from the waist while aiming my nose at the crossed ankle. Hurts like blazes when you start but amazing for stretching the Gluteus Maximus. I never, ever have trouble with this now.

violann,

My daughter is a clinical massage therapist and sees this all the time. So glad you were successfully treated and are better now : ) So important to be vigilant about stretches!

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

makeup addict — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 03:04:38 GMT

Hi,

I don't have this, but I get knots from fibro. The pics in the thread remind me of pigeon in yoga. For a deep stretch, you can use your bed.

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Bed-Stretches-Standing-Pigeon-Tight-Hips-3368271

You can also do this in bed. Lying down, knees bent, feet flat on mattress. Cross one leg over the other with the ankle resting above your other knee (kinda of how a guy crosses his legs). Slowly lift the leg that's still on the mattress. You can place your hands behind that knee and slowly bring the crossed leg to your chest.

Magnesium and manic acid help.

I also use something called a stick. Instead of using a drink bottle or a tennis ball to relax the spasm, you can use the stick to roll it out. From amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_7?url=search-alias%3Dsporting&field-keywords=the%20stick&sprefix=the+sti%2Caps%2C204

Eta: for the one pose standing next to the bed, to deepen the stretch, gently lower your torso until it's laying on the leg.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

violann — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 12:11:14 GMT

Hi Nightowlz and sfnative! I do something like your exercise Nightowlz, and as you know, sfnative, there really is nothing like therapeutic massage for focusing on the kinks. Your stretch looks great addict- I'm going to try that one too. I wanted to add, in my experience, once you learn how to do the "release" for this you can use "the stretch" any time you feel the twinge. I had it with ileotibial band syndrome- o one-two punch, but once you get the stretch down pat, you can take control. I had it in both legs, with my right leg being worse.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

QueenDanceALot — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:26:44 GMT

I do yoga after every weight workout as I have tight hips and hamstrings and have had piriformis pain in the past which gave me fits for awhile.

The poses that benefit me the most (for piriformis) are pidgeon and log pose.

I did see a chiropractor a few years ago about it and he insisted that piriformis syndrome is VERY rare. But I didn't get better seeing him. I got better through yoga!

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

violann — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 17:59:03 GMT

Well, I'm happy to hear for the rest of the world that it's rare, but sorry for those of us who have it!

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

appleseed — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 21:17:28 GMT

Thank you all for your wonderful, helpful replies and suggestions!!! I am using the stretches you've posted above, and I'm also making myself walk each day. I'm not trying for any particular distance or speed but am definitely striving for consistency to avoid my gluts from getting weak and atrophying again. I think recovery from Piriformis syndrome is a delicate balance between stretching and strengthening, and again, it is about consistency. I'm preachin to the choir.

Re: Piriformis Syndrome

colliemom4 — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 00:29:07 GMT

I was never oficially diagnosed with it but know I've had it. It's taken me a long time to find relief from it. I try not to sit in one place for too long and that helps a lot. It still acts up now and again but I'm not experiencing anything like the pain I had when I first discovered I had it.