Piriformis syndrome test
The piriformis muscle runs from the sacrum to the greater trochanter of the femur. Regular stretching can relieve pain caused by the piriformis muscle. Stretching exercises relax the pelvic area and release the pressure caused by the tensed piriform muscle.
The piriformis muscle is involved in the external rotation of the leg, but can also be involved in spreading the thigh or moving the leg backwards. It is best stretched by adopting a position that is achieved by a movement mediated by the piriformis muscle. One way is to sit on your knees and then extend one leg backwards so that it touches the floor with the kneecap.
This position stretches the piriform muscle and should be held for about one minute. There are 2-3 repetitions per side. Another stretching exercise is done in a lying position on the back.
The knees are bent so that the soles of the feet are firmly on the floor. Then one leg is pulled towards the upper body and the foot is brought towards the knee. The leg to be stretched thus crosses the other leg. Now press the knee of the leg to be stretched away from the body and hold the position for about one minute. Again, 2-3 repetitions are useful.
Train the piriformis muscle
Through its contraction, the piriformis muscle mediates external rotation, abduction (abduction) and extension in the hip joint. All its functions are also performed by the large and small gluteal muscles, which is why special training is difficult only for the piriformis muscle. Strengthening exercises are recommended, which strengthen the entire gluteal muscles and thus also prevent a functional limitation of the piriformis muscle. Also recommended are exercises for the abductor group of the thigh and exercises for the hip muscles, as these muscle groups stabilize the pelvis and correct incorrect posture, which can also be a cause of piriformis syndrome.
Function
As briefly mentioned above, the small piriformis muscle has many functions. He:
- Turns the leg outwards (external rotation)
- Stretches the leg (extension)
- Spreads it to the side (abduction)
- And leads him to the back (retroversion)
