Piriformis Syndrome Strengthening Exercises
Strengthening the piriformis muscle itself and also the other hip abductor muscles can be helpful in preventing piriformis syndrome recurring.
Side lying clam exercise
- Lay on your side with the hip to be worked on top.
- Bend your knees and position them forwards so that your feet are in line with your spine.
- Make sure your top hip is directly on top of the other and your back is straight.
- Keeping the ankles together, raise the top knee away from the bottom one.
- Remember, don't move your back or tilit your pelvis, all the movement should be coming from the hip.
- Slowly return it to the starting position.
- Repeat 15 times initially and gradually build this up to 2 sets of 20.
Resistance band abduction
- Stand with one end of the band tied around the ankle and the other end attached to a fixed object, close to the floor.
- Move the leg out to the side, away from the body, keeping the knee straight.
- Once you get as far as is comfortable, slowly return the leg back to the centre.
- Repeat 15 times and gradually build this up to 2 sets of 20 reps.
Hip extension exercise
- Position yourself on all fours.
- Shift your weight slightly off the leg to be worked.
- Keeping the knee bent, raise the knee off the floor so that the sole of the foot moves towards the ceiling.
- Slowly lower the leg, almost back to the starting position and repeat.
- Repeat 15 times initially and gradually build this up to 2 sets of 20.
