Wellness

[mysterylady]

Years ago I had piriformis issues. Xrays showed a dark spot in the painful area but no one knew what the cause was.Eventually I could feel a "charlie horse" sensation - like a muscle spasm.

I heard of an occupational therapist that was doing a new kind of treatment and gave him a try. He made the diagnosis and treated it successfully. It took about 20 sessions but it was well worth it since I had been in pain for 9 months.

I was so impressed with his therapy that I eventually went to work for him. I'd guess that 95% of his patients had the same issues. His treatment involved some of the same stretches shown here. But he was doing the stretches with you - important because at the time of such extreme pain, I was having much difficulty walking and stretching.

You may want to see who in your area treats this condition. We had patients from a tri-state area. Many had tried prior physical therapy, chiropractic, and pain management with no results. The piriformis muscle can cause pain from the waist to the feet. Good Luck.

[1MrsT]

@fortune I've dealt with this issue in the past. Deep tissue massages REALLY help. The foam roller acts like a deep tissue massage, when you think about it, as well as stretching out the muscle.

I have two different rollers, one is smooth and one is lugged, but I rarely use them. Instead, when mine acts up, I turn to my Jacknobber. It looks like a giant Jack with different size knobs on the ends. I just slide it up and down the muscle, to loosen things up. I got it from Amazon for like $9. I love that thing.

[debcakes]

Wow, thank you for this thread. I had a knee replacement almost 7 weeks ago. I really recovered amazingly well, until last week. Then my hip on the side that had surgery started to hurt. Then it started to hurt more. I spent a week in pain and really depressed because I could not walk or do steps any better than before the surgery.  I thought I might have to get a hip replacement ASAP.  I started stretching my hip and doing some of the exercises illustrated in this thread and have been pain free for the last few days. What a relief!  The descriptions from posters sounds like what it was.  Now I will know to do the exercises if it flails up again.

Thanks for all the information here.

[151949]

I had this during rehab from my ankle surgery and 4 months totally in a wheelchair. The rehab doctor gave me exercises to do IN THE POOL - only in the water - they are very simple range of motion of my hip and stretching for my back. (monkey walking along the edge of the pool). It has really helped me and when I start to get that pain - I get in the pool and do the exercises.

[fortune]

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@1MrsT wrote:

@fortune I've dealt with this issue in the past. Deep tissue massages REALLY help. The foam roller acts like a deep tissue massage, when you think about it, as well as stretching out the muscle.

I have two different rollers, one is smooth and one is lugged, but I rarely use them. Instead, when mine acts up, I turn to my Jacknobber. It looks like a giant Jack with different size knobs on the ends. I just slide it up and down the muscle, to loosen things up. I got it from Amazon for like $9. I love that thing

@1MrsT

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!  I ordered the Jacknobber!!

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[1MrsT]

@fortune I think you will come to love it as much as I love mine. I use that thing whenever my muscles ache. I can apply just as much pressure I need, exactly where I need it.  It's all about releasing trigger points. 

I should warn you, that initially it will feel uncomfortable, especially if you've been hurting for awhile in that spot. I'll start off with a little pressure with my stroke, and then apply more to go deeper, as I go. Once the blood gets moving in that area, I can really work out the kinks. It's truly an amazing little device. 

My hips, glutes, legs, arms - everywhere I can reach, gets the treatment. Even the tendons and ligaments attached to my knees will get a massage with it. For my back and shoulders, there's a thing I bought that looks like a giant S that has different knobs on it, and it's a miracle for the knots in my shoulders and back. I got that, as well, from Amazon. 

[1MrsT]

@fortune Here's the trigger point tool I use my back and shoulders, should you be interested:

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Back-Companys-Trigger-Self-Massage/dp/B0006VJ6TO/ref=sr_1_3_s_it?s=hpc&i...

[violann]

@fortune 

Massage therapy worked for me.

Mine was so bad I couldn't sit on the side of the bed with my knee bent because of the pain.

Know, EVERY DAY, I put the outside of my right ankle on my left knee, and press down on my right knee until I can feel a slight pull in my right hip, then put left ankle on right knee and press down on left knee.

Hope you get some relief soon!