How to relieve that pesky pain in the butt...

... the muscle, not the person

Have you ever felt stuck with a nagging pain in your butt? And no - I'm not talking about your relatives or your co-workers

There's a muscle in that region called the Piriformis, and it connects your pelvis and hip. And when it's tight, it can cause a world of hurt! Here's a way to stretch it out at home

Sound like what you need to know?

Let's talk to see how to customize it for you and your unique situation:

Call or text me direct at (636) 751-3150

So how do you relieve that pain in the butt?

A lot of clients recently have been coming to me with sharp pain in the side of their hip or the back of their hip, and sometimes even extending into their leg. What's been going on? For most of these clients, they've had a tight Piriformis muscle (don't worry - you don't need to remember that bit of Latin. It's a mouthful!)

This is a little muscle, but it can cause a world of hurt when it's tight! It connects the back of your pelvis to the side of your hip, so you can feel pain anywhere between those points, or your could even experience Sciatica - that sharp lightning-type pain down the back of your thigh. Sciatic nerve pain can sometimes be caused by a tight Piriformis because that nerve is right next to - and in some cases actually pierces through - the Piriformis muscle. So when the muscle gets too tight, it can really tick off that nerve!

Aside from pain, a tight Piriformis muscle can make it difficult to walk after you get out of bed or after you get up from sitting for a while. You'll hobble along, and after a little while of walking it'll loosen up a bit and walking gets a bit easier again. 

What can cause this muscle to get tight in the first place? Staying still for hours in positions where your hip and knee are turned out - sitting at your desk with your legs crossed or with your feet flopped out to the side, or driving on a road trip with your non-pedal-foot flopped out to the side (so pinky toe toward the floorboard). "True neutral" is when your toes point straight forward 

So what can you do? How can you stretch a Piriformis muscle? How can you relieve Sciatic nerve pain? How can you relieve hip pain like this?

This is a general guide BUT you should get this customized for you and your unique situation - Call me direct (or text) at (636) 751-3150

How to stretch your piriformis muscle

to relieve hip pain and butt pain

As always, consult your doctor before beginning a new stretching routine

• Lay on the floor on your back with your spine straight and neutral
• Straighten both legs with toes pointing up
• Bend your knee up on the side you want to stretch 
• Place the foot of your bent leg on the outside of your straight leg - like if you were sitting cross-legged, and then turned your knee upward
• Place a hand on your hip bone on the bent leg side to remind you to keep your pelvis flat to the floor during the entire stretch. Do not allow your hip to roll up as you stretch
• Gently pull your knee across your body toward the opposite hip - WITHOUT twisting or bending your spine - until you feel a gentle stretch: use your hand to pull from your lower thigh ONLY IF you can reach it without moving your spine, otherwise use a belt, strap, or tie placed around your lower thigh to extend your reach
• Hold this stretch for one long deep breath in, and out, then relax
• Repeat the stretch 2 more times for a total of 3 stretches per stretching session

Typically, you'll want to do this stretch in the morning, in the evening, and any time you feel pain or tightness in your hip or buttocks throughout the day BUT:

This should be customized for YOU and YOUR unique situation! Reach out to me and let's figure out how to make a custom solution just for you: Call me direct or text me at (636) 751-3150

Here's to you being your very best!

~Dr. Vicky