Name: Piriformis SA Static Release
Uploaded: 2023-04-26T01:01:04.000Z
Duration: 6 min 29 s

English captions

https://stream.mux.com/aXEILTBvuh9mWNimOan1029aD01r71MBFvTTYksCRvvts.m3u8

Learn how to properly perform a piriformis self-administered static release in this comprehensive step-by-step instructional video from the Brookbush Institute. This evidence-based video provides expert coaching on setup, positioning, alignment, and technique (including progressions and regressions). Safely reduce piriformis hypertonicity and improve hip mobility while supporting optimal lumbopelvic alignment and lower-extremity mechanics. Suitable for all fitness levels. Perfect for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and rehabilitation clients seeking to reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore optimal movement mechanics while reducing injury risk.

Introduction to Piriformis Release Techniques

Understanding the Anatomy and Function of the Piriformis

Demonstrating Self-Releases with Foam Rolling

Using Alternative Tools for Increased Intensity

Technique Effectiveness and Progression

Piriformis SA Static Release

This is Brent, President of B2C Fitness and on this video we're doing our static release techniques for our piriformis. Now, your piriformis isn't a muscle that everybody's going to need to release. I know a lot of people like to go ahead and roll that because it's a fairly easy technique to do, but we need to ensure that we go back to our assessment, and this muscle is actually short and overactive. Remember if we do flexibility techniques we want to make sure that we're lengthening and toning down a muscle that is overactive and short. So, if you are doing the overhead squad assessment, really the major sign that leads you to believe that the piriformis might be overactive is going to be the knees bow out. So, this isn't a totally common thing that we see all the time. For those of you guys doing goniometric assessment, the piriformis can restrict both internal and external rotation. So, if you've released a couple other structures like the TFL, you've done some adductor release, you've done some psoas release, and you're still having problems getting getting rotation back to normal it might be worth going to the piriformis, releasing and stretching to see if you can return normal hip rotation. If somebody complains of SI joint discomfort or pain, there's another reason why you might have to do some piriformis release before looking at the SI joint dysfunction specifically. I'm going to have my friend Leanne come out, help me demonstrate this exercise. First, just a little anatomy lesson so we know where we're releasing. Your piriformis runs from anterior sacrum, to greater trochanter. So, the sacrum is the tailbone, greater trochanter is that big bony thing we feel on the outside of our hips, so it creates a little bit of like a horizontal and slightly diagonal band across the top of our glute complex. Now, there are other deep rotators of the hips, our gemella and obturators, which lie a little bit lower, but we're still going to be on the top portion of our glute complex, so when Leanne goes ahead and sits down on this foam roll, that's where I want her to focus. So, Leanne, go ahead and have a seat here. She's going to go ahead and throw her hands back behind her so she's nice and comfortable. If it's this piriformis I want her to do, I'm going to go ahead and have her put that in a slightly stretched position by putting this ankle and this knee, and then leaning onto her right cheek. So the leg that's crossed is the side that you're doing. Now, first things first, I want to make sure Leanne is not muscle guarding, she's not tensing up to try to protect a very tender spot, so what I might have Leanne do is either pull her knee in and then relax, or might have her push her knee out kind of, contracting her glute and piriformis and then relax completely. Do you feel a bit more? -Yeah. If somebody goes from a contracted position and then relaxes, melts, then they feel a lot more, chances are they were contracting a little bit in their piriformis and glute complex to try to protect. So we want to make sure she's nice and relaxed on the most tender spot. You got the most tender spot? Good. Now, contraindication here, if Leanne starts feeling numbness or tingling there's a good chance she's on her sciatic nerve. Your sciatic nerve runs just underneath your piriformis. We don't want to pinch down on nerves, not that I've ever heard of anybody doing damage with a foam roll, but it's going to be uncomfortable, it's going to create a sensation that people are not going to want to stick with, and we're probably not going to get a good release. So, if by chance she starts feeling tingling or numbness, just have her move a little bit. You can either have them rock this way, remembering that that piriformis is a horizontal band, or just go up and down a little bit. Now, if this was so painful that she couldn't relax, I could regress this a little bit but just having her stick this leg out, and totally relax. We want to stay slightly externally rotated to make sure she stays on that piriformis and those deep rotators. Leanne wasn't having a problem with the other way, so we're going to go ahead and take her back to that original position. If I wanted to progress this a little bit, I could put these muscles more on stretch so that there's less bulk in the way of that trigger point by having her stretch, and hold her knee up towards her opposite shoulder. Now, release techniques aren't anything really all that fancy, it all comes down to putting pressure and squishing a muscle between some bone and some hard object. If we want to increase the intensity all we have to do is either decrease the surface area of the object we're using, or increase force. Since Leanne is using almost all of her body weight on the piriformis at this point, if this was not intense enough for her, we'd go to a smaller object, at which point I might switch to a softball. Now, I will warn you, this isn't quite the normal softball, this isn't a solid softball, there's actually a lot of give, this is one of those training softballs. I find these work really, really well, and also happen to be very portable for those of you who treat in home. She's going to do the same technique, she can search for the most tender spot, make sure there's no numbness or tingling, she can make sure she's not muscle guarding again by either pushing her knee out that way and then relaxing, or pulling her knee in and then relaxing. How is it feeling? -It's intense. It's intense, alright! Once she's found that spot, it's intense, we know she's relaxed, she's just going to hold until she gets a release. That's going to take about 30 seconds, all the way up to 2 minutes, so she's going to need to be in a nice, comfortable position. If she doesn't get a release, that's okay. It's not ideal, but it's okay. Remember that this is a skill that is going to take some practice, and it may take several sessions for somebody to learn how to do this. Ideally in the end, we want to get people feeling those releases so we know those trigger points have been reduced to next to nothing so that we get a huge increase in the quality of their movement patterns over time. I hope you enjoy this video, hope you enjoy the technique. Thank you Leanne, very much.

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Knowing hip external rotator release and lengthening techniques can reduce hip pain, lower back pain, sacroiliac (SI) joint pain, etc., and improve fitness performance.

Hip External Rotator: Release and Lengthening

Piriformis & Deep Rotator (Self-Administered) Static Release:

Explain to your patient/client where their piriformis and deep rotators are (from tailbone to greater trochanter), and if necessary palpate the piriformis and deep rotators so they know where to exert pressure with the release tool. I have found the cue, "It's a horizontal band across the top of your butt" helpful.

Instruct your patient/client to assume a position sitting on a foam roll, softball, or release tool.

Have them lean onto the side assessed as over-active.

Have your patient/client rock side-to-side (from sacrum to greater trochanter), as well as up and down (from ischium to posterior iliac spine) using the release tool to scan the entire piriformis and deep rotators for tender points.

Once, the most tender point is located (generally midway between the sacrum and greater trochanter) have your patient hold still on that spot and relax.

Wait for the discomfort to subside or for a “release” (generally 30 – 120 seconds).

Move on to another tender point or the next muscle to be released.

Cross the leg: Have your patient/client place the heel of the leg being released, on the opposite knee. This lengthens the glute and deep rotators, increasing the force on the piriformis and deep rotators.

Crossing the wrong leg. If the opposite leg is crossed over the knee, then only the leg of the piriformis and deep rotators you wish to release is left to maintain balance. This will increase activity and reduce the likelihood a release will be achieved.

Not finding the right release tool for the individual (i.e. softball versus foam roll). More pain is not better. If the tool provides so much pressure and discomfort that your patient/client cannot relax, it is unlikely that a release will be achieved.

If it tingles or numbs, get off it. This technique can result in compression of the sciatic nerve. Nerves are not very wide. If a tingling, numbing or electric type pain is felt, moving a 1/2 inch will usually move the foam roll off the nerve.

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