Why Is the Piriformis Tight?

Your piriformis muscle runs deep beneath your gluteal muscles, downward from your sacrum to the greater trochanter of your femur. Because it sits across your sciatic nerve, if it becomes tight it can irritate or impinge the nerve and cause significant pain.

Sitting Too Long

• Constant pressure from sitting on hard chairs for too long can irritate your piriformis. It reacts to the pressure by becoming hypertonic--extremely tense and tight--or inflamed, thus pinching your sciatic nerve.

Being Off-balance

• Regularly carrying a heavy load such as a heavy backpack on one shoulder rather than evenly distributed across your back and hips can cause the piriformis on one side to become overstressed and hypertonic.

Hyperextending Your Hips

• Overextending your legs and hips, such as when you step up onto a large rock while hiking, can strain the muscle. Muscle strains cause inflammation, which constricts the movement of the sciatic nerve. Strains also cause a protective response from the surrounding muscles as they work to protect the injured piriformis.

Exercising Too Hard

• Hitting the cycle, treadmill or running trail too hard may cause muscle tension or cramping, tightening the piriformis and surrounding muscles.

Solutions

• Stretch before exercising to loosen your muscles. Focus on stretches that rotate your hips and trunk to gently loosen the muscle.

  If you are sitting on a hard seat, stand up at least once an hour and take a short walk.

  Stay hydrated. Water helps lubricate your muscles and helps prevent cramping.