Chances are that most of you are familiar with the sciatic nerve and its importance to our overall health and body. But did you know that when this sciatic nerve becomes irritated it can cause hip and lower back pain, which spreads downwards to the limbs and feet? Science has shown that around 4 out of every 10 people will develop sciatica, or irritation of this nerve at one point in their lives.
This nerve is located deep in our buttock, and the main cause of the pain it causes is either the swelling, or constriction of the piriformis muscle. The pain is usually treated with expensive medications, NSAIDs, surgery, physical therapy and other methods.
But in this article, we are going to show you another, more recommended and natural method. To be more specific, we are talking about a series of piriformis stretches which will offer mind-blowing effects and results in the treatment of sciatica pain.
Make sure you warm up before doing the stretches, in order to avoid further stretching of a muscle, or an injury.
1. Standing Piriformis Stretch
This is an easy starting exercise that will not only help further stretch and get your body in exercising mode, but it will alleviate some of the pain as well.
2. Supine Piriformis Stretch
While doing this exercise, focus on staying calm and gentle with your feet, as even a slight move on the wrong side might worsen the pain.
3. Outer Hip Piriformis Stretch
This exercise will completely help stretch your back, piriformis and leg muscles, greatly helping alleviate most of the pain.
4. Buttocks Stretch For Piriformis Muscle
Put your hands and knees on the ground, and drag the foot of the affected leg underneath the trunk. Twist it toward the opposite site close to the hip, while making sure your hip points toward the shoulder.
5. Long Adductor Stretch
Sit on the floor and stretch your legs out as far as you can, before tilting your torso forward toward the ground and placing your hands on the floor next to each other.
6. Hip Extension Exercise
Place your hands and knees on the ground, and make sure your hands are parallel with your shoulders. Tilt the weight off the painful leg and elevate the leg upward toward the ceiling. Lower it slowly. Repeat 15 times.
7. Side Lying Clam Exercise
This is another easy exercise and after you take a look at the video below, it’s pretty much self explanatory.
8. Seated Stretch
You will need a chair for this exercise. Start off with your affected leg over the other leg’s knee. Keep your chest forward and hold it like that for two breaths.
9. Short Adductor Stretch
Just like the long adductor stretch, sit down on the ground, but this time, put the soles of your feet together in front of your pelvis. Hold your ankles with the opposite hands, push downward with the knees and hold this position for 30 seconds.
10. Supine Piriformis Side Stretch
All you have to do is pull the knee of the painful leg across the midline of the body, with your other leg, and hold it like this for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
