Exercises That Can Help Alleviate Piriformis Syndrome

Piriformis syndrome is a condition in which the piriformis muscle, located in the buttock region, can spasm and cause pain in the buttocks. Nicholas Anastasio, M.D., a Board Certified physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Mercy and Mercy Personal Physicians at Glen Burnie, and Mark A. Slabaugh, M.D., an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon with Sports Medicine at Mercy, treat patients suffering from Piriformis syndrome. Both Dr. Anastasio and Dr. Slabaugh were recently interviewed by Bustle.com regarding the best forms of exercise to help alleviate the pain caused by this condition. The following is an excerpt from their interviews.

Piriformis syndrome can mimic the symptoms of a herniated disc in your back. Instead of a disc in your spine pinching a nerve and causing sciatica, in piriformis syndrome, the piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve itself. The piriformis muscle is located deep in your buttocks and lies directly on top of the sciatic nerve. Therefore, if the muscle is tight or spasming, it can create pressure on the sciatic nerve. This can lead to pain and numbness in the buttocks or down the leg and can lead to difficulty sitting.

Exercise can help to alleviate or minimize pain caused by Piriformis syndrome. Here are two exercises that have been recommended to patients.

Exercise 1

• Lie flat on your back
• Bend the knee on the affected side
• Using your opposite hand, pull the knee toward your opposite shoulder
• Hold this position for one to five minutes, applying a gentle stretch only. Do not stretch to the point of actual pain.
• Repeat two to three times daily 

Exercise 2

• Cross the affected leg and rest it on your opposite knee
• Bring the opposite knee to your chest the stretch the sciatic nerve gently
• This should be done for a count to 10 and then repeated five times
• Doing this daily will help to stimulate mild increased blood flow and help decrease the inflammation around the nerve 

Dr. Nicholas Anastasio diagnoses and treats patients with orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions affecting the muscles, bones and joints, as well as nerve-related conditions. Dr. Anastasio earned his medical degree and completed his internship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.

Dr. Mark Slabaugh is Board Certified in Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Sports Medicine. He specializes in arthroscopic repair of sports-related injuries and complex knee and shoulder reconstructions, including ACL/MCL tears, shoulder instability and rotator cuff tears.