Pririformis Syndrome: Stretches and Exercises

Exercises for piriformis syndrome can help with the pain and stiffness associated with the piriformis muscle, found behind your hip at the buttocks. Whether pain is due to variations in your unique anatomy or an injury that causes irritation of the nearby sciatic nerve, stretching can improve your symptoms.

The exercises are one strategy to help heal piriformis syndrome. Sometimes, muscle stretches (especially those that rotate your thigh inward and outward) can prevent injury, too. Many are designed for beginners.

This article presents seven piriformis syndrome exercises that you can do at home. Discuss these exercises with your physical therapist or other healthcare provider before starting.

1

Piriformis Warm Up

Knees to chest may help stretch your low back.
Knees to chest may help stretch your low back.

As a beginner, you're likely best served by performing stretches in the supine position (on your back). In this case, you'll bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, which is called hook-lying.

Start the piriformis stretching routine by warming up your hips in general. This helps by giving you a nice back stretch with which to start the piriformis syndrome stretching progression.

Lie on your back in the supine position and bring first one (bent) knee and then the other up towards your chest. Hug them either at the top of the shins or at the back of your thighs near the knee.

Pull towards you. Stay in this position for five to 30 seconds. Gently set one knee down, and then the other. 

The distance you'll move the leg will vary according to how tight your piriformis and other hip muscles are, as well as how much pain you experience. Always stay pain-free. Only go as far as you can without strain, soreness, or similar muscle-related distress. 

2

Piriformis Stretch

Hip abductor and rotator stretch.
Hip abductor and rotator stretch.

To do this stretch, lie on your back with both knees bent and the foot on your one leg over the knee of the other side flat on the floor.

  1. Rest the ankle of your upper leg over the knee of the other leg.
  2. Grasp the thigh and pull that knee toward your chest. You will feel a stretch along the buttocks and possibly along the outside of your hip on the other side.
  3. Hold this for 30 seconds. Repeat three times. 

This exercise stretches the hip and is designed to help a piriformis injury heal.

3

Standing Hamstring

Piriformis Chair Stretch

Verywell / Ben Goldstein

A standing hamstring will help to stretch out the hip and the thigh. You can try this exercise with a chair if it will keep you more balanced.

  1. Place the heel of one leg on a stool about 15 inches high.
  2. Lean forward, bending at the hips until you feel a mild stretch in the back of your thigh.
  3. Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat three times. 
4

Pelvic Tilt

Pelvic Tilts. © Ann Pizer

A pelvic tilt can help strengthen the abdominal muscles and reduce lower back pain.

Lie on the floor (or on a mat on the floor) with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms alongside your torso, palms facing down.

  1. Inhale. Then as you exhale, engage your abdominal muscles, allowing that action to tilt your tailbone upward and close the space between your lower back and the mat or floor. You'll feel a gentle stretch of your lower back.
  2. Inhale, allowing your spine and pelvis to return to the original position.
  3. Do five to 10 reps.
5

Prone Hip Extension

As with the other exercises, the prone hip extension will help you to improve range of motion and strengthen the affected piriformis muscles. You can:

  1. Lie on your stomach. Tighten up your buttocks muscles and lift your right leg off the floor about 8 inches.
  2. Keep your knee straight. Hold for five seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times. Do three sets on each side. 

Some people do this exercise with a bent knee or standing up, too.

6

Partial Curls

Partial curls can help to strengthen your core, especially abdominal muscles.

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Clasp your hands behind your head to support it, but don’t pull with your hands.
  • Slowly raise your shoulders and head off the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for three seconds. Return to the starting position.
  • Repeat 10 times. Build up to three sets. 
7

Lower Abdominal Strengthening

This exercise can strengthen your abdominal muscles to better protect against piriformis.

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Tighten your belly muscles by pulling your belly button in toward your spine. Keep breathing normally and don't hold your breath.
  3. Lift one foot off the floor and bring your knee toward your chest, so that your knee is straight above your hip and your leg is bent like the letter "L."
  4. Lift the other knee up to the same position.
  5. Lower one leg at a time to the starting position.
  6. Keep alternating legs until you have lifted each leg eight to 12 times.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Your piriformis can be caused by injury or irritation that places pressure on the sciatic nerve. Common symptoms for which you should consult a healthcare provider include:

  • Aching or pain in the buttock
  • Tingling or numbness that runs along the back of the leg
  • Difficulty sitting, or pain that gets worse the longer you sit
  • Pain that interferes with daily activities

Your healthcare provider will perform an examination and may order imaging tests. Apart from exercise, treatment may involve medication. Some cases may require physical therapy, electrotherapy, or even surgery.

Call your provider right away if your symptoms occur suddenly, they happen after an accident or injury, or if pain comes on slowly but lasts more than a few weeks.

Summary

Piriformis muscle stretches can improve the symptoms of piriformis syndrome and help your body to heal. They also can help to prevent the syndrome from occurring while improving your overall strength and flexibility.

As with any exercise program, discuss your exercise plans with your physical therapist or other healthcare provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is piriformis syndrome?

    Piriformis syndrome is a condition that causes pain and numbness along the buttocks and the back of the leg. It's thought to occur when the piriformis muscle in the hip presses on or irritates the sciatic nerve, which supplies much of the leg. The condition causes many tasks involving the lower body to become difficult and painful; however, certain stretches and exercises can relieve symptoms and even strengthen the piriformis muscle.

  • How do you relax the piriformis muscle?

    Performing specific exercises can stretch and strengthen the piriformis muscle. In certain cases when medical treatment is recommended, your health care provider may prescribe muscle relaxants to help manage the pain. Surgery on the piriformis muscle is considered a last resort.

8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. American Academy of Family Physicians. Piriformis syndrome.

  2. Hawaii Pacific Health. A Guide to Piriformis Syndrome.

  3. Piriformis stretches to relieve piriformis syndrome. National Academy of Sports Medicine. 2015.

  4. TeensHealth from Nemours. Stretching.

  5. Bracko M. Conditioning and training: the relevance of flexibility training. National Academy of Sports Medicine. 2017.

  6. National Health Service. Lower Back Pain Exercises.

  7. Kaiser Permanente Health. Piriformis Syndrome: Exercises.

  8. MedlinePlus. Piriformis syndrome.

By Anne Asher, CPT
Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert.