Piriformis Syndrome
Piriformis Syndrome Rehabilitation Exercises
You may do all of these exercises right away.
Gluteal stretch:
Lying on your back with both knees bent, rest the ankle of one leg over the knee of your other leg. Grasp the thigh of the bottom leg and pull that knee toward your chest. You will feel a stretch along the buttocks and possibly along the outside of your hip on the top leg. Hold this for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
Standing hamstring stretch:
Place the heel of your injured leg on a stool about 15 inches high. Keep your knee straight. Lean forward, bending at the hips until you feel a mild stretch in the back of your thigh. Make sure you do not roll your shoulders and bend at the waist when doing this or you will stretch your lower back instead of your leg. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
Resisted hip abduction:
Stand sideways near a doorway. Tie elastic tubing around the ankle on your leg which is away from the door. Knot the other end of the tubing and close the knot in the door. Extend your leg out to the side, keeping your knee straight. Return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10.To challenge yourself, move farther away from the door.
Partial curl:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your stomach muscles. Tuck your chin to your chest. With your hands stretched out in front of you, curl your upper body forward until your shoulders clear the floor. Hold this position for 3 seconds. Don’t hold your breath. It helps to breathe out as you lift your shoulders up. Relax. Repeat 10 times. Build to 3 sets of 10. To challenge yourself, clasp your hands behind your head and keep your elbows out to the side.
Prone hip extension (bent leg):
Lie on your stomach with a pillow underneath your hips. Bend one knee, tighten up your buttocks muscles, and lift your leg off the floor about 6 inches. Keep the leg on the floor straight. Hold for 5 seconds. Then lower your leg and relax. Do 3 sets of 10.Repeat this exercise for the other leg.
Quadruped arm/leg raise:
Get down on your hands and knees. Tighten your abdominal muscles to stiffen your spine. While keeping your abdominals tight, raise one arm and the opposite leg away from you. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Lower your arm and leg slowly and alternate sides. Do this 10 times on each side.
