How To: Relieve Back and Leg Pain

by Donna Rae Siegfried
Excerpted from Arthritis Today

An inflamed piriformis muscle can be a pain in the rear -- literally. The piriformis muscle not only helps rotate the hip and leg outward, but also stabilize  the pelvic region and properly align the knees. The piriformis muscle can become inflamed, usually from sitting too long or rotating the leg outward (as when driving).  When inflamed, the muscle can harden and press on the sciatic nerve, causing nerve-related "sciatica."

Spasm of the piriformis muscle often is overlooked as a cause of sciatica, which can also be caused by a herniated disk. The pain is similar: pain in the buttocks radiates down the leg to the ankle or middle of the foot. It may be felt in the lower back, too. Sitting usually makes it worse, and standing or walking often makes it better.

The good news is that the sciatica caused by an inflamed piriformis muscle usually does not require surgery. It can be relieved by ice or heat; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen; electrotherapy, such as a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit; physical therapy, including deep massage and range-of-motion exercises; and injections of corticosteroid or botulinum toxin to relieve the pain and spasm enough for physical therapy to take place.

However, relieving pain and preventing future spasm of the piriformis muscle can be as simple as adding this stretch to your daily routine.

Try This:
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent. Put your left ankle on top of your right thigh. Lift both legs off the floor. Holding the back of your right thigh with both hands, gently pull your right thigh toward your abdomen. You'll feel the muscles in your buttocks and lower back stretch. To avoid neck strain, keep head on the floor. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds initially, the work up to holding the stretch for 30 seconds or longer. Repeat with the other leg. Perform the stretch three time per day.