How To Get a Deep Piriformis Stretch With These 12 Exercises

1. Supine Piriformis Stretches

Instructions:

Lie on the back, put the hand on the same side of the knee, and keep the other on the raised level
Raise the knee toward the shoulder and then cross the calf across the body
Hold for five seconds before releasing
Repeat the procedure with the other leg

2. Standing Piriformis Stretch

Instructions:

Stand with the back against the wall and then walk the feet forward
Place the knees over the ankles and then lower the hips 45 degrees toward the floor
Raise the right foot off the floor and place it outside of the ankle on the left knee
Lean forward and lower the chest toward the knees
Hold for 30-60 seconds
Switch legs and repeat

3. Outer Hip Piriformis Stretch

Instructions:

Lie on the back with the right knee bent
Pull the knee over to the left side using the left hand
Hold for a few seconds, repeat three times, and stretch three times daily

4. Long Adductor (Groin) Stretch

Instructions:

Sit on the floor and stretch the legs out
Tilt forwards at the hips and put the hands next to each other
Lean forward and drop the elbows to the floor
Hold for a few seconds and then release

5. Short Adductor ( Inner Thigh) Muscle Stretch)

Instructions:

Sit on the floor and place the soles of the feet together
Apply pressure to the knees using your elbows
For deeper stretch, lean forward and keep the back straight
Hold the position for half a minute and then release
Repeat a few times in a row and stretch three times daily

6. Muscle Energy Technique

Instructions:

Lie on the belly and bend one leg
Rotate the bent leg outwards as far as possible
Apply gentle pressure to the piriformis from side to side for a few seconds

7. Resistance Band Abduction

Instructions:

Stand with the end of the band tied around the right ankle and the other attached to a fixed object
Move the right leg out to the side
Return the leg back to the center
Repeat 15 times and work your way up to 2 sets of 20 repetitions

8. Side Lying Clam Exercise

Instructions:

Lie on the side with the hip to be stretched on top
Bend the knees and place them forward, keeping the feet in line with the spine
Raise the top knee away from the bottom one, keeping the ankles together
Go back to the original position
Repeat 15 times a day

9. Hip Extension Exercise

Instructions:

Sit on the floor on all fours with the shoulders over the hands
Raise the knee off the floor, keeping the knee bent
Lower the leg, repeat 15 times, and work your way up to 2 sets of 20 repetitions

10. Supine Piriformis Side Stretch

Instructions:

Lie on the floor, lift the affected leg and put that foot outside the opposite knee
Pull the knee of the bent leg across the midline with the opposite hand or a towel
Hold for half a minute and then go back to the original position
Switch legs and repeat

11. Buttocks Stretch for the Piriformis Muscle

Instructions:

Sit on all fours, put the affected foot across the trunk of the body
Extend the non-affected leg, keeping the pelvis straight
Scoot the hips backwards towards the floor and lean forward
Hold the stretch for half a minute, go back to the original position, and do a set of three stretches

12. Seated Stretch

Instructions:

Sit on the floor and cross the right leg over the left knee
Bend forwards and keep the back straight
Hold for a minute and then repeat the procedure on the opposite side

Don’t Overstretch

“A gentle stretch relaxes the muscles, letting them release and grow longer. But too intense a stretch can actually create an inflammatory response…meaning your body is trying to repair damage. Any time you cause pain, you actually cause tissue damage,” warns Best Health Mag.