Piriformis syndrome

Lie on your side with the lower leg fully extended and raise the other at 90 degrees resting on the lower leg, get someone to apply pressure on top of raised cheek pushing down, or try a massage gun on the area. Thanks to spms tightening my muscles I have to go through this every few days.

There’ll be YouTube vids by physios showing this release manoeuvre

Yeah done a lot of you tube videos like that. Provides release for a few hours then it's hurting again. Need to see a professional.

I changed cars because the Passat we had just made my back hurt after an hour or so. It’d done a lot of miles so maybe be seats were just knackered.

i had it for a spell when i first bought turbo trainer and spent too long in one position with cleats slightly out.

For me i would lay off the running for a while, i being an impact sport unlike cycling.

There are classic stretches and yoga poses for P. Syndrome like pigeon pose and the stretch above, and ibuprofen, whilst keeping cycling light, i switched to flat pedals for a while which helped.

If it persists, then physio and possibly seek steroid injection?

I've got it too. Had it for years. It is literally a pain in the ass. Yes, stretches help. Yes, see a physio. The one I saw spotted that my legs are different lengths, which no one else had picked up on. This mean that I am leaning to compensate but also twisting my pelvis. This causes the piriformis problems but also is giving me worsening back pains as I grow older.

I have chronic pyriformis issues and have been to sports physios etc and had massage and release.

Like you've found lots of the stretching exercises they only ease it off for so long as the reason it's tight is still there. And the reason is usually muscle imbalances in the hips and glutes, though like you sitting for long periods really gets to be a pain.

You need to do various hip/glute strengthening exercises like clams and side left raises, but what I've recently come across from this guy is a series of simple standing movements that really have helped me. All based on engagement and strengthening of the relevant muscle's...
Exercise for pyriformis

Having said that are you sure it is pyriformis if it is both sides at the same time? For me and most people pyriformis seems to be just one side. Maybe it is some lower back issue?

Exercise for pyriformis

This seems to go to a recipe for New York Pizza. Not sure how this helps...

Having said that are you sure it is pyriformis if it is both sides at the same time? For me and most people pyriformis seems to be just one side. Maybe it is some lower back issue?

Not 100% another reason I want to see someone. I think it is tho - it's a pain right in the middle of the pyriformis muscle.

Anyone know a sports physio in the reading / newbury area?

That's odd! This is the video 😁

Wife has this and it’s been miserable but now on the mend.

Specialist sports physio the way to go.

Interesting video on piriformis syndrome here^^

Yes, of course, see a physio. In the meantime, start thinking about things you can do other than stretching, which it sounds like you have done plenty of already so that muscle length may well be fine now. You are getting the pain after two hours of driving, and the pain is in the glutes, so it may well be that you've disabled your glutes by squashing them flat for so long plus some ischaemic damage. Think about strengthening your hip and trunk extension and some activity modification- as in stop driving once an hour and walk about for a bit

Any tips on how to find a good sports physio? I can find a list on my health insurance website, but who knows whether they are actually any good.

Ask on any local cycling or running FB page or forum?

Though if you've health insurance listing a selection surely they've got some sort of validation to be on that list so give a few a ring and see who could fit you in soonest?

GP wouldn't be a bad call to see whether it is pyriformis though? Although a sports physio could say that too.

Could see the team at GoPerform in Reading
https://www.go-perform.co.uk/

I had the same symptoms for years but only in one side which I think is normal. Turns out it was piriformis syndrome but was being exacerbated by a bulging disc in my lower back. The things that worked for me were strengthening exercises directed by a physio and by addressing my driving posture. Without realising it, I naturally sat slightly offset / twisted in the seat which was a massive trigger. And I also stopped carrying my wallet in my back pocket as that kicks your hips out of alignment whenever you sit down.

Have it on & off for a while now. I’ve found Pilates (reformer) works brilliantly for unlocking everything. Give it a go if you can.

I'd see a doc, just to try to identify what the actual cause is. Pain in the centre of the piriformis (just one side for me), stretching not really helping and pain while driving were due to a slipped disc for me, confirmed by MRI. I'd be a bit careful with your back for a bit just in case - I wasn't (didn't know what I'd done) and made mine significantly worse.

Re driving, my back is loads better if I sit a fairly upright position with me knees roughly the same height as my pelvis. Seat as high as it'll go sort of thing, trying to get the upper legs horizontal. If my knees are higher it sort of rounded my lower back and put a load of pressure on the duff disc. You can get various cushions etc to sit on to help with this although it very much depends on the car. It was pretty easy in my work van but impossible in by wife's Skoda which used to be agony for me. Obviously if yours is 'just' piriformis, this might all be irrelevant!

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Think I need help with this.
Had piriformis symptoms last week so started some stretches and looking into preventative exercises.
Not sure what happened (I think some improper form in a body weight squat) but begining of this week saw sciatica symptoms and then on Tuesday similar for bulging disc.

Managed to resolve the dic with "back lengthening" basically unweighting my legs using corner of kitchen worktop.
The piriformis and sciatica just won't ease, I get numb tingling down the back of my leg down to my foot.
Trouble is I'm supposed to be back at work tomorrow, there is zero chance of sitting at a desk most of the day and I only have about 5 min of focus before the constant dull ache builds to uncomfortable pain and I have to move.
Looking at NHS.co.uk I don't think there's much a doctor can do so what's next?
Call in sick and hobble about? I can get away with a week but need it sorting as have a class in two weeks.

I had piriformis and sciatica together. I got painkillers from my gp and did the exercises in "treat your own back" for the sciatica. For the piriformis I did some leg raise type exercises.

Good luck, it's not much fun. Stay away from the opioid based painkillers - you end up a bit... Bunged up.

Not read the comments but if you have piriformis syndrome then the exercise you need to do is the clam, to strengthen the piriformis, because weak muscles are tight and it’s the tightness of the muscle pressing the nerve. YouTube’s Jeff cavaliers athlete exercise videos are excellent

Don't see a doctor, see a physiotherapist. The physio is the expert. A doctor isn't; and a good doctor would send you to the specialist...

Not read the comments but if you have piriformis syndrome then the exercise you need to do is the clam, to strengthen the piriformis, because weak muscles are tight and it’s the tightness of the muscle pressing the nerve. YouTube’s Jeff cavaliers athlete exercise videos are excellent

This sounds like a physio answer! Probably worth seeing someone just to make 100% sure you've diagnosed yourself accurately. Do the exercises they say, when they say to do them.

Cheers, after reading a bit I came to conclusion docs can't do much. I've ended up have to explain many times to mum why (I'll only need them if need more time of work, which is a massive worse case scenario).
There is a lot of cross over on exercises, the nhs even has videos.
I'll have a look round for physio's.

Apparently stretching your piriformis isn't always the answer, in fact tightening it sometimes is :

A follow up Incase anyone else is going through this.
Managed to get appointment with a physio (earliest doctors referral is May!)

It's looking like a bulging disc trapping a nerve.

Honestly this is the worst pain I think I've experienced. Just unrelenting with no easing.
If I lay across the bed to stretch my spine it eases. By the time I:e walked down stairs to grab yet more pain killers and it's back.

Now need to try and get a sick note but because I went straight to private physio they need to talk (dispite me asking on Fri for appointment with doc to get one 🙄).
Been told 6 weeks to heal!

If that laying out helps it may be worth trying Mackenzie exercises to decompress the area...
Mackenzie exercises

Best read up on them yourself, there are plenty of sources and YouTube, but iirc if you find one of them that helps take the pain away just hang with that for a while like you've been doing with the bed.

Yeah I'm building up to being able to do the first one without sending pain down my leg 😬