09/03/2024
💡Muscle Spotlight: The Piriformis!💡
One of the most common complaints people come to me with is a tightness in one or both hips and a radiating pain shooting down their corresponding leg. In many of these cases, the culprit is our star of the day: The Piriformis! 🦵
💫The piriformis is part of an important group of muscles called “The deep 6” which is a group of external hip rotators located deep to the glutes or buttock region. It is a small flat muscle, running from the front of the sacrum to the top of the femur.
• Function: Primarily responsible for externally rotating the hip (turning the leg outward) and stabilizing the hip joint.
• Common Issues: ~Piriformis syndrome~ The sciatic nerve passes underneath or, in some cases, through the piriformis muscle. Tightness or irritation of the piriformis can compress the sciatic nerve, leading to pain, tingling, or numbness, symptoms similar to sciatica.
• Contributing Factors to Dysfunction: Prolonged sitting, improper posture, overuse in activities like running, cycling, or climbing stairs, or direct trauma to the area.
• Stretching & Strengthening: Exercises targeting the piriformis can help relieve tension and reduce the risk of nerve compression. Common stretches include the seated piriformis stretch and the pigeon pose. Deep tissue massage has been shown to reduce muscle tension and symptoms of dysfunction.
