30. Piriformis Stretch - Laying down figure of 4

How to stretch the Piriformis muscle in a laid down position.

Dysfunction of this muscle is seen in many patients with lower back pain and/or Sciatica.

The Piriformis muscle plays a pivotal role in the mechanics of the pelvis, hip and lower back and sits deep in the buttocks. With patients suffering from pain in these areas, more often than not the Piriformis is involved in some way.

Stretching this muscle is one way of reducing the tension in the area and helping the pain you are suffering from. Even if you have no pain in the buttocks, dysfunction of the Piriformis muscle can contribute to lower-back pain and/or Sciatica.

How long you need to hold the stretch for will vary for different conditions. However aiming between 30secs - 2mins will be appropriate for most conditions.

#osteopathy #lowerbackpain #backpain #sciatica