Piriformis Syndrome & Sciatica - Stretching Exercises

PDF of exercises: www.yogabody.com/piriformis-s...
Do you have a tight piriformis muscle? Is it causing pain in your butt or even sciatic nerve irritation? If so, this video is for you. We’ll look first at the anatomy of the piriformis, and then we’ll try two exercises to stretch and relieve tension in this unique muscle.
VIDEO CONTENTS
00:00 Intro
00:45 Anatomy
01:37 Weird Medial Rotation
02:23 Pinched Sciatic Nerve
02:55 Self Massage
05:45 Pretzel Leg Twist
DISCLAIMER: If you have a major injury or are suffering from severe sciatica, please go see a doctor, this is for education purposes only.
ANATOMY & BIOMECHANICS
The piriformis is a unique muscle in that it changes its function based on the angle of your hip. The muscle starts at your greater trochanter, the bony part of your hip, and attaches at the anterior side of your sacrum. It’s mostly a lateral rotator, so when you open your hip to the side, your piriformis is involved in that movement. But once you flex your hip past 90-degrees, it becomes a medial rotator - very unique.
Because of the muscle's location and its involvement in many movements it can often become irritated, overstretched or overused. This might happen from sitting all day, or any any type of overuse.
SCIATICA & PIRIFORMIS
The sciatic nerve runs right next to the piriformis and in some, right through the muscle. So an inflamed piriformis can cause pretty major pain. Most sciatica is caused by a lumbar spine compression, but in an estimated 5% of cases, sciatica can be caused first and foremost by a piriformis problem.
To make things challenging, because it’s both a lateral and medial rotator, it can be tricky to stretch and almost impossible to isolate, but it is possible. It’s also important to note that the piriformis responds well to push-release massage and contract-relax stretching (also known as PNF), so we’ll include those in our our routine.
EXERCISES WE'LL LEARN
* Pretzel Leg Twist
* Press-Release Massage
WANT MORE?
* 21-Day Happy Back Challenge: www.yogabody.com/happy-back
* Join our YOGABODY Daily at-home fitness program: www.yogabody.com/yb-daily/
* Lucas' podcast: www.LucasRockwoodShow.com
* Main site: www.yogabody.com
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#piriformis #piriformissyndrome #sciatica

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Don't forget to grab the PDF in the description. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions... - Lucas @y YOGABODY

[@NasheerMohammad]

Can you please share pdf

[@CHM6196]

As a truck driver I have had days where this muscle would cramp up to the point where I have had to pull over and perform emergency yoga on the roadside. I hope these help!

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Hope this helps!

[@robertoswalt319]

My wife and I had to drive from South Carolina to New Mexico a few months ago. Before we left I put two tennis balls in a sock to massage my pirformis. It was one of the best things I have ever done as it kept us from having to make random stops.

[@yourmomsaccount69]

Oh my gosh I feel so guilty but this made me laugh cause I've had to do emergency yoga myself. I hope your doing well. ❤

[@kamanashisroy]

That pressure ball works like magic. Also I have noticed that side plank gives relief as well.

[@calenerichard2355]

I've had sciatica off and on for years and found some yoga poses like hip rotations can cause pain. But in general, Yoga practice has helped a lot!

[@racqueldoroteo750]

This is so helpful exercise for my father who had always pain after the whole day driving a jeepney driver..I can show and teach him to relieve his pain.Thank you for this video.

[@stephaniep3970]

Exactly what I need!! Thank you!!

[@chronicpainhacker]

I love your videos. They are so helpful. Thank you for sharing❤

[@nancyjay8519]

Very helpful and motivated to try it as it’s nicely explained and slowly done.👍, deeply appreciated 😊

[@lienpham9581]

I try the way you did & I do feel good, thank you

[@vuyimsi4139]

Thank you, exactly what I needed.

[@SunnyJJJJ]

Thank you, Lucas. 🙏🏻

[@marciajennings5889]

Am Marcia from Jamaica am a janitor because of the lower back pain I have not work from October I have to try your exercise for real thank you

[@kobalt77]

Thank you so much ! I had Piriformis Syndrome a couple of months ago. Exercises and stretches did nothing, and maybe made it worse. The foam roller was brutal at first, but doing that daily is what cured it. I just did the roller an hour ago and next to no pain at all now !

[@marksandberg5099]

Kobalt did the syndrome cause sciatica for you? How long would you do roller for daily? Read your comment and saw this video and your comment caught my attention

[@kobalt77]

@@marksandberg5099 No sciatica my friend....... the roller, jeez a minute or 2, every other day, you can overdo it apparently . What really helped me was BUILDING strength , so Glute exercises, squats, leg rises, clams, bridges etc

[@agnescirilo5657]

Thanks really for sharing your knowledge, it helps a lot , good to share most people needs it,

[@chevovillarreal7270]

Nice buddy .I have this problem 20 years .I hope this exercise help out thank you buddy .

[@dongrantham6281]

Thanks!

[@connie6410]

This is exactly the video I needed, thank you, Lucas 🙏

[@bayanimangale6327]

Thank you,it help me a lot better.....

[@yourmomsaccount69]

These are a different set of exercises than what I've had before. But it's nice to have tons of different practices in my repertoire. You never know!

[@YM-dy4pw]

Thank you for your information, love it!

[@leonwechsler389]

Thank You

[@hamdi3461]

Thank you sir, I always follow your instructions and feel better and I thank you very much .

[@evehawasow2527]

Excellent MERCI

[@user-fq1dr6ft9b]

Truly appreciate it is so easy for me to follow your instructions as English is not my native language. Thanks again

[@mahitaedupuganti2598]

Thank you , I am suffering from sciatica....

[@graciousbweupe9476]

It's encouraging wow!

[@craigkeller]

Great video thank you 🙏

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Thanks Craig!

[@tjj5337]

Cycling has helped me and a low inflammation diet

[@burdalini125]

Hi Lucas, in the pretzel twist, are we supposed to maintain squeezing the legs toward each other the entire time we are in the twist-just on the exhale- or? Thanks!

[@dragondanceable]

Blessing. this is good

[@Shelley-Nicole]

Love that you are doing these... thank you so much😁 Wondering if you have any knowledge of bilateral dimples on posterior shoulders? What are they from and can they affect muscle development?

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Very unlikely that is anything except a unique you... unless you have some pain or impingement I wouldn't worry!

[@Shelley-Nicole]

@@YOGABODY.Official thank you so much😁🙌 you have no idea how happy I am that you replied. 🥰 No pain at all, so I am just hoping that my muscle development won’t look too strange as the dimples are very prominent🥰🤔

[@helenkryll]

Köszönöm🙏 3 éve küzdök a cptsd erős tüneteivel. Senki -még a jógaoktatóm- sem értette mi a panaszom,amikor momdtam,hogy nincsen erőm a csípőtájékon. Megerőltető jóga pózok csak rontottak a helyzetemen. Az őn videói (a paraszimpatikus idegrendszer aktiválásáról szólók is) elkezdtek javulást hozni. Hála!!! Namaste

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Örülök, hogy a videóim segítenek a javulásban. - YOGABODY Team

[@MariaLima-qh2fk]

Hi Lucas❤ your classes are great!!! Thank you very much! You have also hand exercises for a trigger thumb?

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Unfortunately, we don't have specific exercises for a trigger thumb, but we do have wrist exercises on our channel that might help. Feel free to check them out! - YOGABODY Team

[@eshaan2208]

Urgent advise for my issue 1. Tiny osteophytes in L4 and L5 2. IV disc space reduced between L5-S1 3. Sclerotic changes in both SI joints but pain in my left side 4. Lumbor lordosis is normal 5. No spondylitis is seen Have sciatica pain on my left side

[@ZwienerZ]

I’ve had this for a few months now (self diagnosis, but everything points to this) and I cannot get rid of the pain!!! I workout and stretch and I’m just in constant pain in certain positions. Nothing seems to help.

[@felixthecat9027]

Try, sitting on the floor (polished floor is best) and use your butt to move/walk forwards and backwards. This STRENGTHENS many muscles including the piriformus. Worked for me. Good luck.

[@ZwienerZ]

@@felixthecat9027 That' something I haven't considered. Will definitely try!

[@tjj5337]

Try doing this on a heating pad!!!

[@manoranjansethi2359]

Dear sir there is Numbness on my legs and also irritation of sciatica nerve kindly guide me the better exercise

[@PsiQ]

Tanks for showing this as a workalong, much easier to do/follow like that. i'm gonna add this to my anti sciatica pain (left side) stretching i am doing now for over a week (under surveillance by profeshs). Seems to work better than the other stretching positions i was shown so far. problem for me isnt the muscles around but really the nerve getting pressure somehow. can do the "asian squat" no problem and moveability for my left foot/side is even better than right. Never had problems until about 2.5 months ago and it did not go away as it came. 😞 (ibuprofen helps with the tensioning/pain in the muscles around but not for the located pinching pain itself.) edit: stopped doing these after a week, shortly after it feels better, but next day it got worse, kept doing these "lighter"..still got worse to the point i couldnt do any stretching/training, stand or walk without a lot of pain. Now i'm back to simple leg stretch and sideways with both feet together and its a lot better.

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Great to hear, keep going!

[@HYPOXiX]

Dancers suffer from this a lot because of the emphasis into external rotation… This population would certainly benefit from this video! What do you think about targeting internal hip rotators to oppose?

[@Tejindia1993]

Nice information sir Love you ❤️

[@cowboy104]

he's already spoken for ,move on fudgy

[@Mrk-lf3mp]

I had Sam problem then I sow this video Same time I did with you can you believe I’m typing on this time my pain gone thanks

[@peropero2917]

Pretzel leg twist is great, helps instantly.

[@YOGABODY.Official]

pero pero - Thanks so much for your support!

[@ramakrishnanc8914]

Why don't you adjust the narration captions from demonstration picture.

[@matotomf]

How do i know that sciatica is coming from my lower back or from piriformis?

[@megret1808]

My masseuse uses his knuckles and elbow on that area

[@Nat-ib6yh]

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I can tuck my legs in tight and twist my ankle through the other leg, but I get no stretch except a bit in my side. I have the opposite arm out straight and even hold onto the sofa leg to prevent my shoulder from coming off the floor, but I’m able to touch my knees (that are @ less than a 90° angle) to the floor without feeling the stretch I’m going for. I am very “bendy” already but I can hardly sit anymore without sciatica screaming down both legs. Docs say there are no issues with the back or hips. I’ve been searching for the right exercises to get relief and a tight piriformis makes the most sense with my symptoms. I know you can’t see my form, but I believe I’ve followed this exactly.

[@YOGABODY.Official]

You'll want to check out your lower back, sciatica is most often caused by lumbar compression.

[@BangTaoBeach]

If I could do the pretzel leg I would not need to watch your videos🤣

[@subhasispradhan6620]

i am running always 20km. now i'm face same problem now doctor advised me MRI can MRI good for me

[@seittrr9739]

thank yøu ☕🍩

[@zackeryzackery9381]

Good stuff. I'm working on rehabbing piriformis and sciatica symptoms.....maybe SI joint. Hard to diagnose. Is there a way to rule out SI joint vs piri etc. Or could it be a combination of all the above?

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Consulting a doctor for accurate diagnosis is best. - YOGABODY Team

[@suecrites2103]

Can you tell me about the small ball? Is it squishy or firm?

[@bellab2234]

They are a very firm rubber. A little give, but not much.

[@MadHatter1337]

If it’s too much try a tennis ball. Lacrosse balls are super firm

[@Penguinandpear]

I’ve had this pain in my butt that when standing radiates down my right leg. Dr says it’s not sciatica. What I do is get my husband to karate chop that muscle in the butt and it releases the tension for my whole leg and all the pain disappears. It builds up again over a few days and then I repeat. I always wondered why the karate chops (sometimes just pressing) released the tension. I thought maybe blood flow but good to have an answer to this! Thank you for sharing.

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Oh interesting!

[@clintbradley191]

I have the same symptoms as you. Did this strech help you?

[@shaynecurby9835]

Thanks so much, you explained the condition very well, i have suffered from Piriformis syndrome for over 3 years. I was told it would go away. I look forward to doing your exercises. Not sure if it is tight or lengthened yet. Will keep watching

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Hope it helps, Shayne!

[@diarm.hunter6822]

Bro whatever I watch of your videos I keep saying I have that to whatever issue the video has 🤣

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Thanks Diar!

[@diarm.hunter6822]

@@YOGABODY.Official wait, how is it a thanks You out here giving me hypochondriac 😂😂 jokes aside you’re my to go to for stretching & anxiety relief

[@melissasnyder2439]

How many times do you recommend doing the 5 sec release? Many times per day?

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Try daily 1x

[@luc917]

How can you differentiate this vs PSO issues?

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Most sciatica starts with a lower back compression but a small percentage can be muscle triggered.

[@refatrabadi6656]

My piriformis and Sciatia is on my left side MD thinks it’s from bugling:herniated L4-L5 . My question is besides the symptoms, I also experience a sharp pain and pull on my right testicle when I l lift or stretch my left leg or certain positions. Inguinal or ab hernia was ruled out … Do you know if this common to have right testicle pain from a left back pain. Thanks

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Hello Refat - I would take those symptoms very seriously and get a second opinion.

[@refatrabadi6656]

@@YOGABODY.Official thanks . Yes you’re last opinion. I did see two MDs one is urologist and the other is gastroenterologist. Per MRI Both ruled out and injury or hernia by in the right testicle . The only explanation I receive is from an orthopedic that usually pain in the groin from L4/L5 disk bulge .. ….am curious from your experience or practice is this possible to have testicle pain due to back pain if everything else is ruled out ?

[@PsiQ]

@@refatrabadi6656 i had my sciatica nerve pinch/tensioning appear like the feeling of having a older bruise on my left shin when standing.. for weeks and it did not disappear .. and there was no bruise. thats when i started wondering. so the disc / nerve area really might be the right zone to check, might be a "short cuircuit" due to pressure on the nerve bundle, signal not really coming from where it feels it does.

[@user-yd6yg3vz7e]

6:00 我覺得很好👍

[@sardar7210]

Hello sir I m from Pakistan i m facing sciatica problem from last three months due to L4,L5 disc bulge. When my sciatic pain was getting high day by day i feel erectile dysfunction I checked urologist also but he told that there's no connection of sciatica and ED . After using Ed nd sciatica medicine my ed nd sciatica problems are still there i feel to much anxiety problems right now m newly married Plz doctor guide me for the sack of God 🙏🙏

[@suzter]

So when we are rolling bum on the ball…how do you know if it’s contacting with the piriformus? It’s all tender…

[@YOGABODY.Official]

It's a real problem as your piriformis is "deep" to your glutes so hard to access. You have to smash all of it, so it's a clumsy way to access it but can still work.

[@tjj5337]

Thank you for this awesome stretch❤.. I have a horrible pain in the buttocks from sciatic nerve damage

[@redwisdome]

Hi Sir. I had a disk surgery about 9 years ago. The surgery was successful but now I have piriformis syndrome that cause I always have a pain in my legs. Can you tell me the root cause of the syndrome is my past surgery? Thank you so much

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Hello Askar - I would not be qualified to say, but it's certainly possible. Surgeries often lead to up/downstream complications.

[@redwisdome]

@@YOGABODY.Official 🙏🙏👍👍

[@juliepeace533]

Thank you Lucas, I’ve had a pain in the butt for a while🤣🤣, but seriously I drive 1200km per week and thought that was the issues, I am very active walking hiking , plus have a lifestyle block that there is always something to do. Well I’ve been doing these exercises for a week now and I don’t have that annoying pain, it was just on the left side. What has come about is my right shoulder and arm ache all the time now, do you think this could just be a roll on effect from stretching. But in a good way? ❤️ Love you’re vids and explanations. Cheers Julie

[@YOGABODY.Official]

Hello Julie - not sure about the shoulder, but yet it's possible the stretching made it sore?

[@antoniyaart]

What if the first side stretch with the twist hurts my sciatica and sends pain signals down my right leg.. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[@YOGABODY.Official]

If the stretch is causing discomfort, it might be best to avoid or modify that specific movement. You could try gentler stretches and focus on what feels comfortable for your body. - YOGABODY Team

[@antoniyaart]

@@YOGABODY.Official Thank you, I've been trying seriously everything and it's a long process figuring what works.. but I'll keep trying 🤞🫶🙌

[@YOGABODY.Official]

You're welcome! It can indeed be a journey of trial and error. Keep the perseverance, and we hope you find what works best for you. - YOGABODY Team

[@serendipitytwo777]

First time doing this but felt some release. Thank u.

[@mc6083]

I've had this for years and now get numbness in my legs when carrying my 2 year old

[@srirangaihac8158]

Dear sir how to sensation improved Back to left legs iam surgery in 2022 Agu 1st

[@srirangaihac8158]

sir iam Indian

[@hmpf7729]

you are good teacher:) you know what you talk about great:)

[@vdrazen8]

Why stretch piriformis? Better question is why he gets locked short? This is where root problems need to to be solved, or you can stretch (read weak) all life and probably do worse, consider taht you stretch and other structures.

[@mdnazimsikder5538]

I'm Bangladesh,, back pani

[@craigsteel5629]

this just streches no excercises, also if your piriformis is extreme and the sciatic nerve inflammed, you wont be performing that pretzel strech as you can barely move the leg just moving your chin while lying flat sends shooting pain, never mind rounding your back and twisting the leg into position. it shows clearly the person has never had this cause a health back and hip can do this but unhealthy or cramped and siezed one will need baby step to work up to it and that should be shown. where is the exercises to strengthen the piriformis, hip rotators and lower back muscles to prevent this from happening again?

[@asankajayaweera546]

Doors pliis helpmi my siteka pen my srelanka Navi hilpme u kantak nambar

[@salimhaider77]

Dear teacher, I am watching your videos. I have back and neck problems. So want to contact you directly. It will be helpful if you give me your mail address. thank you.

[@SuperDonald64]

Omg terrible spasm their agony days off work