7 Piriformis Syndrome Tips to Get FAST Relief (No Exercises or Stretches)

[@birgitraya4909]

Aquatic exercises in a warm water pool really helps. It helped me more than physical therapy.

[@LS-ot6vd]

Intro finishes and tips start at 04:30

[@jatingupta4026]

Thanks man!

[@Sophia-r8x]

I also have long-term piriform machine pain. Thank you very much for making this series of videos. Thank you very much.

[@T.K.Do-Jeddah]

أحسنتي 👍 ... 99% of people focus on stretching the pain area which is wrong and making worse... rather than strengthen muscles around it. thanks for sharing !

[@bobgabel6497]

Thankyou Coach Sofia for taking the time to make your videos. I am 72 and just this past July injured myself working out but not sure how. I constantly have episodes every day and the only relief I get is by sitting down and letting the pain subside. I've watched several of your videos within the last hour and I can see your have made all the mistakes that I am making. I do have a acupressure mat that I have not tried yet so thankyou for that. I have been researching everything I can and it looks to me that your information shows the most promise. The only activity that I can do is to ride my bike and I usually go out for 15 to 20 miles. That and acupuncture seem to be the only things that give me relief other that sitting. I'm definitely going to work on some of your tips because exercise just flares up the problem.

[@CoachSofia]

You are very welcome Bob! I'm glad the video has been helpful. Yes, we all make mistakes in this journey trying to figure things out but I'm glad you've discovered what works best for you. I love the acupuncture mat and also the dry needling once in a while! They are great therapies for long-term maintenance. I hope you keep improving and thanks for the comment.

[@bobgabel6497]

Hi Coach, I feel compelled to up date you that I am back to 90 percent and getting better every day. I discovered nerve flossing and together with the bed of needles it just works. Most of all for the belief that I was going to get better, so thankyou for taking the time to make your videos. You were so helpful. @@CoachSofia

[@Nina-po9en]

Same happened to me, I used to do 1 hour of stretching in the morning until I realised that less is more, and doing nothing or very few stretches are way more relieving..Dry needling was terrible for me though, at least the way they do it in Spain. Made things worse for me. For me applying heat helped most of the time, but recently ice helped more. Now I am doing both alternating and it seems to be quite helpful

[@prs7100]

Does it make sense that when I get out of bed I can barely stand on my right side. I feel it in the right glute. But as the hours go by with activity, walking, moving around, that the pain reduces tremendously.

[@RonaBeaulieu]

🎉

[@adriannadhaniram3381]

I'm definitely going to do what you said, because my muscle aches a lot. I hope it's goes away. I've been doing exercises for the piriformis muscle but I'll do attempt the exercises you attached.

[@MajorPowPow]

Great video! Thank you Sofia

[@Duchessm007]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate your words!

[@gabybutler6745]

My pain comes from walking. In the morning I walk it feels like 💯 % awesome then little by Little it starts to hurt and a shooting pain through my butt and right side joint

[@meggyblue3348]

Yes, walking is the hardest thing for me. 15 mins is my max on a good day.

[@sbybill3271]

I also have the same problem. This condition results from weakness in the gluteal muscles. Join a gym and strengthen the weak leg. Within few weeks you will see a definite improvement. Wish you guys fast recovery ❤

[@unassailable6138]

​@@meggyblue3348gon on a carnivote diet. The piriformis muscle sucks on salt and glicogen (sugar) and triples it's size. Then it rubs on the nerve. If you stop eating salt and carbs your muscle will shrink by almost half, then it will release the nerve. Two weeks to see tyr results. I couldn't walk at all, now I can jump and run pain free.

[@saiymaharoon4297]

My MRI shows atrophy of the piriformis and gluteus medium. I also have an enlarged veien at the level of piriformis muscle. Can any of this explain my pain while sitting? I’m also better in the morning after my sleep. Walking helps but don’t tolerate sitting.

[@JoeJoe-tt4zb]

Maybe I have a problem in spine area. . I myself have spondylolthesis and it gets aggravated when I over do the walking. Good luck.

[@susanareid310]

Thank you so much for replying so quickly, really appreciated. Thanks for all your great tips, I’ll definitely be watching all the videos linked in the box. Thanks 🌹🌹🌹🌹🤗

[@CoachSofia]

You're welcome Susana :)

[@Goalkeeper143]

Thank you for sharing, awesome Sofia!

[@diegopadilla5042]

I have 14 miserable months with this... last 3-4 months is giving me some breaks but I’m still very tired !

[@CoachSofia]

Yes it's very exhausting. I wish you a fast recovery for good! I do have a free rehab plan you can try at home www.coachsofiafitness.com/free-piriformis-syndrome-rehab-plan/ I hope it helps

[@tassie7830]

Wow, what you described is exactly what I experiencing after 6 months of going to physio with no improvement. My neighbour suggested I should try dry needling, this is my 4 dry needing/ massage/ stretching combined into 45 mins treatment. I see some improvement.

[@CoachSofia]

Yes I love dry needling! It's the only thing I like to do once in a while to release tight trigger points I can't reach.

[@rani1634]

You explain so well about pirformis muscle snd how to reduce pain and stiffness i like all of your suggestions such a smart intelligent coach love this video so much thanks alot

[@loki76]

I am no expert. But I feel when you have the pain the best thing is to NOT do any exercises and stretching etc. Because the muscle is already inflamed and irritated. So trying to strengthen it just means you are putting more stress on it. Or stretch to 'loosen' it up. Well that is STILL putting stress on it by tearing the muscle fibers. So honestly. Find out what set off the piriformis pain, like a chair you sat on or sitting on a wallet in your back pocket. Stop or avoid doing that same thing for several days and walk and rest. Then when pain is gone, if it goes away. Then maybe you can do strengthening exercises. But avoiding it is easier said than done if the cause is something you have to do several times a day at work or at home. Mine flared up and got bad. I suspect it's my reclining chair that has gone too compressed and put pressure on the buttocks (piriformis muscle). But I have no other proper chair to use. I now bought a new one that would hopefully help. But it's gotten real bad in pain so much it is also likely some spinal disk bulging happening a bit. Even sleeping and waking up later hurts. Only thing relieving the pain is standing up walking. But who would stand and walk 16 hours a day. When home I have my PC and all the stuff connected to my TV so it becomes a lot of sitting in same chair doing PC stuff and movie watching etc. Work is work and there I walk and stand for 8 hours. So when I am home I DO want to sit down. And well sleeping is self evident in a bed.

[@iamfeliciarenee7331]

Thank you 😊

[@Tubeykahn]

Very helpful video. Thank you for all the excellent work that you do.

[@cheahd]

This is so informative thanks a lot it has helped me so much❤❤❤

[@CoachSofia]

You're so welcome :)

[@relaxationandmeditation3226]

Ms my problem is ... pirifomic muscle grip sciatic nerve in right leg joint there for i have walking problem

[@j-saucy7627]

Hi, I’ve been in pain for months. I injured my ankle and was compensating my ride side. I did stretching and strengthening and now I have this…for anyone reading I’m parrying with you and I hope we can find help soon…

[@MA-kw6cr]

Same boat. Was doing PT for back pain and instead got nerve pain the leg. I hope you find a solution as it's so difficult to mentally that you tried to do something right and make things worse.

[@sukiratgill5882]

Hi! I came across your blog 2 days ago. I took your assessment test. It clearly showed that my right knee and foot is rotating out confirming a tight piriformis compensating for weak glutes. But here’s the twist- my pain is a shifting pain, my right piriformis is tight and there’s a very obvious pain during the flare up(currently going through it) but on my left side during the assessment I found nothing- no external rotation and no internal rotation even though there is a subtle radiating pain down my left side when I lie down on my left because I obviously can’t sleep on my right.. even on my back I experience a lot of pain/pressure in the SI joint area so currently don’t have a single comfortable position to sleep in.. 😢 PS: I have had three MRIs done- 2 for the lumbar back and 1 for the pelvis.. I did have a slightly herniated disc but that was 3 months ago.. the whole fiasco started last April when I fell down the last couple stairs and hit my back on the moulding.

[@sukiratgill5882]

The sciatica came on in June and ever since been to two different physio, one chiropractor and currently using the MET to isolate and activate the weaker muscles and dry needling as an adjunct for the pain. Please tell me how to stop the shifting pain… from right to left and back.. this has happened thrice over the past 10 months.. june- October was right, October- dec was left.. mid jan I started the MET method and till mid feb I was doing ok until I had to travel back to back and since 15th feb till today been suffering an acute flare up on the right side and a subtle flare up..slowly building up on the left side. PLEASE HELP. PS I immigrate to Canada from India in the first week of April, would love to join your program, but until then please please suggest something after reading the whole history.

[@bettyperania3663]

@@sukiratgill5882 k

[@unassailable6138]

Try a saltless carnivore diet to reduce the piriformis by 1/3 , this will liberate the sciatic nerve. This muscle is avid for sodium and glicogen and gets twice as big when u eat carbs and salt

[@Gigicares7]

These are great tips! Thank you. 💗

[@vadimo2]

Hey ❤ please make sure what u have there are x2 types of piriformis. 1. Tight = stretching 2. LONG = Strength exercise! Please don't stretch if have LONG you will make it worse

[@CoachSofia]

Yes. I already discussed that several times in my channel! I share the exact assessments to identify if the piriformis is short or long in my program piriformis control www.coachsofiafitness.com/piriformis-control/

[@annemariano4021]

Hi Sofia I loved your video about weak Max and Mid being responsible for overactive pirformis muscle that then aggregates the sciatic nerve. I have been dealing with pain in my glute for 3 months. The only temporary relief I get is from doing the figure 4 stretch. My PT and I have tried many ways to strengthen both the Max and Med but the next few days the pain is worse. Pleasw help with ways to strengthen both the Max and Med that your article does not cover. Thanks very much Anne

[@CoachSofia]

Hi Anne, In addition to the videos on KZbin, if you want a step-by-step program, I invite you to checkout Strong Glutes program I just released recently: www.coachsofiafitness.com/strong-glutes-program/ It will help you strengthen the gluteus maximus, medius and also the smaller glute muscles like minimus and piriformis. Lots of exercise variations and also a 6-week plan I designed myself. I hope this helps!

[@martimar7181]

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and tips. You explain things so well, and your teaching style is very relatable. Is there a certain acupressure mat you would recommend? 😊

[@CoachSofia]

Thank you so much for your comment :) I actually just made a new video about acupressure, dry needling and acupuncture here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/onjJc5mqjsSoopI and the mat I use is this one: amzn.to/36hawwL

[@MXMO609]

Thanks for this

[@CoachSofia]

You're welcome Jaime :)

[@georgefitzhugh6455]

Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge

[@CoachSofia]

You're very welcome!

[@therealfilthyanimal]

Thank you 🙏🏽

[@lamh5265]

Thank you. I just started a regiment of magnesium, especially, glycenate. Also, everything you say is a refresher for other muscle habits and care. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@bchristine58]

Superb video as usual Sofia :) Love all the tips you have for this painful syndrome. I have recently been diagnosed with Calcific Tendinitis in my Left Shoulder - had a severe episode of pain over TG, better now but I am starting some PT next week. Are you familiar with this or do you have any recommendations? Thank you in advance.

[@magic.weaver]

My trigger is basically my 9 to 5 job which i cant avoid, i tried all kind of chairs and nothing worked, can you tell me some way to make it easier at office ?

[@bellarose6995]

Does acupuncture work

[@clairelaskey5592]

What if piriformis pain is from a fractured or broken tail bone??? Then what

[@jasonseery4885]

I can't even walk my glute muscle and calf cramp bad and working 3 minutes of standing I've to sit lay crawl what ever it takes

[@nightsgrow6575]

Are there any specific stretches and exercises to do for the QL, TFL you’d recommend? You said to try one of the tutorials you have but I’m not sure which one you’re referring to.

[@CoachSofia]

I have added all the video tutorials for the QL, TFL and hip flexors below the video. Please click on the description :) I hope they are helpful

[@MA-kw6cr]

Is it possible for the PF muscle to irritate the sciatic nerve (and have symptoms down the leg) but not cause pain in the glutes or back?

[@CoachSofia]

Yes, the piriformis muscle can irritate the sciatic nerve when it spasms a lot and can be felt down but usually it wouldn't radiate all the way to the ankle. If that's the case all the time, it could be related to disc related compression instead. If you notice a reduction in sciatic irritation when the piriformis is more relaxed, this is also a good indication it's Piriformis induced.

[@MA-kw6cr]

@@CoachSofia thank you so much for the detailed explanation!!

[@manilalgohil]

excellent

[@Critter_Clips]

I've tried everything to relax my adductors nothing has helped. Any suggestions?

[@foobar123-f2y]

I've had pain around the trochanter for nearly 2 years now, sometimes it feels like I can't walk as it's too unstable. Question is how can I tell it's piriformis syndrome or glute tendonopathy?

[@mgonzo8044]

Great information. So I did something foolish 2days ago & now in pain, sciatica is hurting 😢. So I used medical roller for my periformis 2 days ago it sucks! Any advice ? I scheduling appointment with doctor

[@lisadavis9993]

Hello I’m dealing with this issue Do you offer coaching?

[@CoachSofia]

Hi Lisa, I don't offer coaching but I have an amazing program developed specifically for this and I take you through everything step by step www.coachsofiafitness.com/piriformis-control/ I'm also active on the members area to respond to questions and offer guidance

[@vinhlannguyen8583]

Great tips! Thank you Sofia. I really like the anatomy photos you used in the video and wonder if you can let me know the source of these photos. TY.

[@sebblackmore3697]

You + Neil Hallinan have helped me immensely with my hip pain. I recommend his channel if you dont know of him!!! Thank you!! Activating the muscle groups around the hips pre workout, aswell as improving their flexibility + strength has eased the discomfort dramatically. Trainers with good shock absorbing soles have made walking + bending easy without irritation. Developing good, balanced posture throughout the day (standing, sitting and lying down)with proper foot placement and connection to the floor once walking is vital. Neil also emphasizes the importance of good mouth and dental posture/positioning in keeping a 50/50 balance between the left and right side over time! Also look into rope rolling as a great way to still exercise, while reducing the impact. Way of the rope is an excellent channel or Weck method also!

[@jorgemaese360]

New Sub!!

[@tomcat6933]

Good

[@jeremygray9634]

I am trying to find a video. Where are you? Spoke of when you are on vacation with family and you’re having fun and you’re not stressed that you don’t have flareups from piriformis syndrome and I couldn’t agree with you more. Could you please let me know which video that is so I can watch it again because I cannot seem to find it. Thank you. ❤

[@jeremygray9634]

Where you spoke of* sorry

[@CoachSofia]

@@jeremygray9634 Thank you! You know I have a lot of videos on piriformis syndrome but perhaps it's this old one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYaopoecgZyDm5Y It's a very old video of mine but if you search piriformis syndrome, many videos will show up.

[@jasonseery4885]

I can't even walk my glute muscle and calf cramp bad and walking even 3 minutes or standing I've to sit lay crawl what ever it takes to get rid of the pain

[@CoachSofia]

I know it's so frustrating. I remember the days when I couldn't walk and was limping and taking breaks a lot. I'm sorry you're going through it. My piriformis program can be helpful in finding out the cause of these flareups and addressing it gently. Here's the link to learn more: www.coachsofiafitness.com/piriformis-control/

[@jasonseery4885]

@@CoachSofia thank you so much for your reply, my MRI showed l4-l5 large disc herniation so l4 nerve is pinching the leg off me and into my glute and ankle 😔

[@Polo-Swag]

Cortisone injection. 3x a day 1 minute deep squat, with elbows inside knees, and gradually push outward on your knees while squatting. Icing helps over time a week or so.

[@betinaa9447]

Very informative. I wish you should show us those exercises you recommend

[@CoachSofia]

I have shared these in my channel just search for them (psoas, hip flexors, QL)! I wanted to keep this one concise and short. Let me know which tutorial you need and I'll post it below.

[@tweetyjones450]

Hi dear thanks I suffered pirifomis syndrome I got well then I did clam shell exercise and it triggered again Just want to ask is gentle walk good for pirifomis syndrome ? I agree with you nothing helped me Stretches Clam shell Strengthening Can I keep walking at home if I feel fatigue in my legs or rest is the Best?

[@CoachSofia]

Oh the clamshell was really bad for me too. I have shared some modification on the channel about it but I'll film a video today on what fixed the clam shell for me. It used to always trigger pain for me. Yes, walking is very good. But try to only do it in shorter durations. I used to go for long walks and my hips get tight. But when I shortened my walks, I noticed an improvement. So if you can do 20 minutes pain-free but 30 minutes makes you feel fatigued, stay below the 20 minutes. Or just do shorter walks at home like you said...5 minutes in early morning, another 5 in a couple of hours, etc. But you want to keep moving to keep your hips mobile and muscles working.

[@tweetyjones450]

Thank you so much for your kind response .just want to say that 10 minutes heat therapy plus massage with any anti inflammatory cream worked wonder for me. Just did 10 minutes walk Will update you whenever I get complete recovery. God bless you 💖

[@CoachSofia]

@@tweetyjones450 That's great! I filmed a video for you yesterday talking about the clamshell :) I'll have it on the channel soon . I'm so glad to hear you got some relief...Heat also works well for me.

[@tweetyjones450]

Thanks dear Blessings and love

[@an1sh559]

Can I swim

[@TheBigDynamo]

Hello, I have a question: How do I know if my piriformis problems are because of weakness or inflexibility?

[@CoachSofia]

There is a video I made on how to test if the piriformis muscle is weak or overactive here kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooHGh2doad2lepY Flexibility is a different thing...we can be super flexible and still have piriformis issues. I'm not a very flexible person. My hips love to tighten up quickly but I focus more on just releasing trigger points and making sure things are balances and strong and tightness isn't affecting proper movement. I'm okay not being super flexible for yoga for example.

[@jeromeroberts1978]

My pain is on the right side of my but it feels like it's squeezing my nirve its very pain full I caņt even st propply on a chair it's affecting my dayly working activities please help me

[@CoachSofia]

Sorry about this! I know it sucks. Please look into my program because I put everything in there for piriformis syndrome healing: www.coachsofiafitness.com/piriformis-control/

[@connytshilidzi1736]

I am feeling painful left buttocks and thigh

[@valeriestree7005]

I have sciatica as a consequence of an extremely compressed disc (the disc is barely even there at this point, sadly) and in the last 2 months I've been experiencing a flare-up that doesn't seem to want to go away, I'm losing my mind. I have also fallen into the trap of "doing too much": stretching, ball rolling, pilates workouts, etc. I definitely stopped working out because I used to do a lot of weight lifting and I think that's exactly why my disc has gotten so thin. I've tried sis therapy and things like that too and at the moment taking anti inflammatory medication as well under the doctors supervision. But I have a feeling that this inflammation is extremely stubborn for some reason and I can't seem to be able to go back to "normal", without feeling pain all the way in my leg, ankle and foot. I know I'm going to have to give up on weight lifting, or at least certain exercises that trigger this condition like squats,deadlifting, etc. I was wondering if you had any advice for people with conditions similar to mine experiencing super stubborn flare-ups, I feell like I'm not getting any real advice on how to approach this difficult time, because I'm in a very precarious condition, and I'm not sure if I should focus on resting or if some light movement like walking, dancing, pilates, etc is indeed recommended. I feel like every time I leave the house I feel worse, I'm not sure what to do anymore because I don't want to further hinder my healing process and bump into any more obstacles that make me regress and nullify any progress. Thanks in advance. Any advice is appreciated!

[@sebblackmore3697]

Listen to your body and rest until the pain calms significantly. Lessen the impact on your hips by doing no explosive movement or exercise with that area that is troublesome to you. Even avoid walking or sitting for too long if possible. Lying down straight or on your side with support may be the best type of rest for this area. I had to take 2+ years off all the exercise and sports i loved, because the weight bearing on my hips wouldnt take the pressure, and the same pains came back and got worse. Once the pain has eased, look at gentle stretching exercises that activate and warm up the hip joint. Only do this at first. Learn how to open the hip joint and improve the weight distribution between both your left and right sides of the body. Strengthen your legs and core without using any heavy weights. Use calisthenic exercises or yoga as a introduction back into moving again. There are many variations of yoga that suit different athletic backgrounds. Also look into rope rolling as a way of strengthening your non dominant side and improving overall symmetry. Becoming too reliant on our dominant, stronger sides are sometimes the reason's why these issues come about over time. Adapt and listen to your body and gut instinct. Go back to the very basics, like when we were children learning to walk. Look at Pelvic tilt and ways to alliviate it, if thats an issue you have. Dont give up, but dont rush either.

[@valeriestree7005]

@@sebblackmore3697 thank you for your advice.

[@sebblackmore3697]

@@valeriestree7005 I get terrible lower back pains and it feels like a bulging disc at times. Sometimes if i bend at the waist my back locks and i struggle to stand up straight afterwards. I get a numbness and pain down my left side and when i was weight lifting, i tended to try not and miss any days training. Even training through pain. Dont be Rocky and over train. Focus on the quality of your movements. Not the speed or strength of them. Our bodies are like that of trees. We need a strong bark and sturdy roots in good soil for our branches to thrive and produce fruit and nice leaves. But we have to be able to bend, not break. Look after your core, lower back, hips and upper legs and make this area ready to move again. Even if it is slowly it is better than doing something fast and getting pain again. Another good thing I've heard for backs and bad discs is hanging! Like a chin up bar but without the pull up motion. Look at Chipanzees and monkeys and how much time they spend using it to move around. The modern world has caused us to become rigid in our movements, sitting, staring at screens and piling weight onto our lower backs. It helps to use gravity to separate the spinal columns and relive tension on compressed discs and tissue. Massage is wonderful too!! You can also use a broom handle or mop handle laid across your shoulders, with your arms(triceps) wrapped over the top of it to stretch out your upper spine and relive some pressure off the bottom half. Almost like being on a cross Jesus style, if you understand my reference.

[@CoachSofia]

Just to chime in to Seb's advice which is great! and I made a video about sciatica before, but I go in depth about this in Back Pain Control program... Here’s what I focused on: Adding stiffness around the lumbar spine. Whenever you're dealing with sciatica, or an issue at the disc level, you want to avoid any movements that put the spine into hyper flexion or extension and increase strengthening exercises. I did this after getting diagnosed with L5/S1 herniation and spinal arthritis. I noticed that the more I stabilized and supported my lumbar spine, my symptoms improved. I also discovered (through trial and error) the stretches to eliminate. The butterfly, for example, would always trigger pain and sciatica. (I have a video coming up in a few days about stretching) Avoiding rotation from the hips made a massive difference in my sciatica. I used my feet as pivot points and braced the core whenever I twisted to open doors, windows, or push carts. Protecting my spine and reducing the daily triggers allowed things to settle down and heal. I also took my core strengthening more seriously. I needed to build more strength around my hips and back. And don't avoid movement and resort to just being sedentary because of the pain. I know it sucks but try to do what you can every day...even a 10 minute slow walk twice a day, a gentle routine for the upper body and some band exercises for the glutes. There are a lot of low impact exercises that can be done standing if you have trouble getting on the floor. But you need to keep moving and strengthening so things don't stiffen up and you develop more weakness. I hope this helps.

[@ridgeforrester5199]

@@CoachSofia Hello sofia, I have checked out your video on how to sit with piriformis syndrome which has helped my pain dramatically,but i was wondering the best way to sit when relaxing at night watching tv or a movie ? Is it best to lay down on a mattress? Or use a zero gravity or recliner chair ?

[@carteahylton2641]

Is surgery an option to cure piriformis?

[@CoachSofia]

That's something to discuss with your physician but I opted out of that option.

[@cliffdariff74]

Mine happens during sleeping. Now I put a throw pillow between my knees to prevent tightening. It works. Also sitting on a hard chair, not edge of bed. Do easy squats without weights help?

[@rickwagner7603]

Would the Stationary Airdyne Bicycle or any bicycling be detrimental? Thanks

[@CoachSofia]

It depends on how tight your hip flexors are and how long you can go without triggering pain. I'd recommend you foam roll your hip flexors before you get on the bicycle, and also time your session so you can figure out how much you can do before you start to feel discomfort. Stay below that timeline and foam roll again afterwards to release tightness in the hips. A few glutes exercises also wouldn't hurt to balance the work done by the hip flexors.

[@akamazigh9690]

i smell Moroccan accent here dont know why