Well it's no secret that a few of us get some feedback from our piriformis muscle when it is unhappy. If you haven't met your piriformis yet, it likely to rear its head in forward folds and places that stretch the top of the hamstring, like down dog. And yikes does it hurt! The reason it hurts so much is due to it's placement next to the sciatic nerve. Now most people know about that guy!
The great news is that yoga can help relieve the sciatic nerve and therefore give space to the piriformis. As all things in yoga, this needs to be handled mindfully and while listening to your body. Let's look at what Piriformis Syndrome is.
Piriformis Syndrome:
Piriformis syndrome is characterised by buttock/and or hip pain that may radiate into the leg as a form of sciatica. This syndrome is thought to result from spasm of the piriformis which causes irritation of the sciatic nerve as it passes through the muscle. The mainstream treatment involves stretching the piriformis and the neighboring external hip rotators.
Tightness or asymmetries in the piriformis muscles can create rotational pelvic imbalances. This, can lead to imbalances further up in the spinal column, landing in the lower back.
You can see why it's important to look after it so it doesn't go roaming around in the back.
The above illustration shows the relationship of the sciatic nerve to the piriformis muscle. You can see how this connection could get entangled. 80% of the time the nerve passes anterior to the muscle, existing below the pirformis causing no pain (left picture), The sciatic nerve can also divide above the muscle with one branch passing through the piriformis and one going under it (middle picture), this happens about 14% of the time. Other variations include the undivided nerve passing through the muscle (without penetrating the muscle). This is something that people can be born with (picture on the right) - the nerve can pass through the muscle and never cause any pain but it can also leave them predispositioned to developing piriformis syndrome, but again doesn't mean they will necessarily get it.
So, let go through a few yoga poses that can stretch the piriformis without aggravating it.
The key is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I find placing support under the hamstrings when in a seat, opening the legs in forward folds to give the sciatic nerve space, bending the knees generously in downward facing dog. Just a few suggestions. Yoga is a system of healing and providing tools that you can use on yourself. It's important to listen to your body and apply your yoga in the best way you see fit.
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