What stretches or exercises can I do for a very tight Piriformis muscle?
Piriformis muscle
11 post(s),
4 voice(s)
 |
|
 |
Most will show you a stretch by lying on your back and lifting your leg up - it's better using your body weight as leverage like this. The more you rotate and the further you bring your knee up (Cameron has it kind of flat here) the more stretch you'll get. Bring the opposite shoulder across the knee and lean forward. If you have a surface high enough it's even easier just leaning into it instead of over the leg.
 |
|
|
Thanks!
|
|
|
Here's another - up where you can get better leverage. Wait a second! I just noticed he's doing it backwards - you should rotate the OPPOSITE shoulder across the leg. Sean...he's so type-B
  |
 |
details Joe...don't get caught up in the details. My piriformis muscles are so tight it doesnt matter. HAHAHA! In all honesty, I stretch them both ways...like I said, they are chronically tight and I get a helluva stretch either way. Oh, and its TYPE B+!!! |
|
|
At first when I glanced at that picture I thought Sean was leaning over seductively...then I looked again & saw he was stretching. The look on his face is like "ahhhh"....it must feel good. LOL! |
|
|
My muscles are so tight..... does that relate to Type A or B+ personality? |
 |
Shellie This is Jill! I am not sure if your piriformis is still tight -normally for women - they always are Piriformis is responsible for lateral movement - so with our training, normally we are using forward and backward movements, and not a lot of lateral. Women also normally have more on an angle(Q angle) between our hips, knees and ankles, which doesn't help us out! ( we always get the short end!) 1. If you can, warm up with some dynamic flexibility - high knees, butt kicks, lateral lunges, walking lunges - nothing with weight, just 10 minutes of functional movement. 2. After training, some stretches are: Knee cross - lying on your back with feet flat on the floor, put opposite ankle on opposite knee. Then lift knee and pull towards chest(with the other one across still on your knee). Ex. right ankle on top of left knee, pull left knee towards chest. Hold for 30 secs, rest and repeat often - on each side. You can do this standing as well, leaning against a wall. Pigeon - yoga move. Looks like what Dr. Joe describes above. Google, yoga "pigeon". Also, any yoga hip openers will help with piriformis. Frog - another yoga move. Start on your knees and begin to straddle with knees still on the ground. Your shins are on the floor behind you. Keep your knees and ankles in line with one another and lean forward. The stretch will come when you slowly push your rear end back towards your ankles. This one may hurt - so be careful and don't push thru the pain. Any time you can do a yoga class - it would help dramatically! Hope that helps a little Jill |
|
|
Thanks Jill. That does help. No yoga class here. I will google those moves.
|
|
|
Shellie Here is a link to a jpg.... not the greatest pictures.... although it is about the level mine would have been!! http://www.yogawithamey.com/images/hipopeners.jpg This one is a video clip. http://www.expertvillage.com/video/932_yoga-for-athletes-hip-opener.htm
Hope it helps! JL |
|
|
Thanks. The links are great. I looked at them, I'll look closer later.
|
Here are a couple other keys tips.