How Do I Loosen My Piriformis Muscle?

 

Many people experience piriformis pain.

Where do you feel piriformis pain?

Piriformis is a muscle that’s deep underneath the glute and you can feel it get too tight around the hip.

 

How do I relax my piriformis muscle?

To stretch this out, this is called the figure 4 stretch. You want to have your passive leg knee bent, foot right under the knee, and then take the side that you’re stretching and cross that leg over so that your ankle is at the knee.

You don’t want the pressure right on your ankle joint. So, move it in just a little bit. From there, you want to place one hand on the hip of the passive side and the other hand on the knee of the side that you’re stretching. This hand prevents your hip from rolling as you stretch.

You want to have some pressure on your hip. And now push gently on your knee. You want to hold this for about 90 seconds.

 

Piriformis Stretch: Figure 4 stretch

  1. Lie on your back. 
  2. Have your passive leg knee bent.
  3. Take the side you’re stretching and cross that leg over.
  4. Your ankle should be at the knee.
  5. Move your ankle in just a little bit (you don’t want the pressure right on your ankle joint).
  6. Place one hand on the hip of the passive side (this hand will prevent your hip from rolling).
  7. Place your other hand on the knee of the side you’re stretching.
  8. You want some pressure on your hip, now gently push on your knee.
  9. Hold for about 90 seconds.

 

To watch the full video, click here.

 

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