Piriformis syndrome, how did you get rid of it?

sit down on a tennis ball and wiggle around, you will go through the roof at first, then your muscle will relax, worked wonders for me

If this particular poster still reads these boards, who is your doctor and where is he or she located.

I want to look into this procedure.

thanks

When I had PS I was trying increasingly intense accupunture needles. They were getting so thick she had to pound them in. Didn't work. Deep tissue massage and the tennis ball/ golf ball. As it was explained to me the muscle tissue is overlapped. I wouldn't run until it was gone. Mine lasted 3 months. A good physio might be able to find the underlying cause.

It is literally a pain in the ass!

I'm finding if I do a lot of lateral stretching, the method shown to me to stretch the IT band, my hip pain is relieved, the ever present tightness is relieved, especially after a run. As for the tennis ball, I should maybe give this another try? Been having accupuncture for over a year & wondering if .....welll....is someone....patience?...Golf ball? That would be harsh. Been wondering if daily one-legged standing on a wobble board or one of these cushions (for $80.00) would help tio strengthen those stability muscles which seem so weak especially when I run up hills.

Active Isolated Stretching in combination with ART therapy = I finally beat this after 10 months of trying EVERYTHING, including complete rest, numerous therapy modalities, etc.

Find an AI therapist. Find a good ART therapist. Get stretched one or twice a week and get ART 2-3 times a week. You may be able to run through it too, depending on how bad yours is. Do this for 2-3 weeks and you should notice it gradually start to go away. Within in a month (if not 2 weeks) you should be cured. Notice I say "should" because this injury is so mysterious and so unpredicatable that I think treatment is different for everyone. But that's what worked for me, so best of luck! I know this such a frustrating injury, keep your head up, you can beat it, you just have to find out what works!

Thanks for the responses...

I am trying Acupuncture again. I got a good rec. for one. The first time i tried Acp. it was for only 3 times. I have tried so much to help this thing. It is so bad that i can't do very much. I have done countless hours of PT, nerve medicine, lots of stretching, rest etc...

I am going to look into this ART thing.

It seems like there is a lot of people preaching this thing. I pray it works.

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has anyone heard of this? any luck?

http://www.performancedynamics.com/outcomes.htm

Performance Dynamics, Inc. is the healthcare company that researched and developed the innovative therapy approach known as the ASTYM system*. Performance Dynamics trains and certifies clinicians nationwide in this therapy and provides ongoing support and services to those trained in the ASTYM system. Performance Dynamics has its headquarters in Muncie, Indiana, with training sites across the country. The company was founded in 1996 and grew out of a collaboration which included Thomas L. Sevier, MD, Ball Memorial Hospital and Midwest HealthStrategies. The Network of ASTYM providers, known as the Performance Dynamics Network, currently includes providers in 35 states and is rapidly expanding. Ongoing research continues to expand the applications of this remarkable treatment.

To learn more about Performance Dynamics visit our company history page.

* The ASTYM system originated as Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization or ASTM and was then known as ASTM AdvantEDGE before the name was shortened to ASTYM.

I have had it and I know a few other people who had it as well. Generally 2-4 weeks of light running, stretching, massaging the area and basically allowing it heal of it own.

If you can do some light running, swimming and toe raisers, you want lose much fitness. These small muscle injuries will reoccur w/o addressing the root cause, which is simple going every day and doing nothing but long runs. When you are healed, you probably should do some consistent track intervals, striders after your long runs, pylometrics, strengths training, etc. -I am not sure about the anti inflammatory drugs because they can dull the pain, and you need that sensation to gauge if you are getting better.

This problem, like shin spints is very popular among the weekend warriors, serious athletes rarely have these problems. Overall conditioning is necessary it you want to run fast and injury resistant.

Thanks for the comment. I have had problems with the pelvis and in the Piriformis area in particular. The latest started about a month ago. I started getting physical therapy (insurance covered, modest number) and working with a massage therapist who is also got a background in related physiology. Thus she underestands where the likely problems come from. Next she has been able to get the area relaxed enough to start working on strengthening the secondary and opposed muscles (my terminology, not hers). Some of it hurts a lot (I am a semi-wimp) but there as been systematic improvment since I started these two therapies. I am not yet to the point where I can do the strides and intervals and strength training but I will do so as I become able.

cortisone shot directly in the piriformis muscle, as well as deep massage and the specific stretches for it - did it for me, and I suffered for 5 years. Good luck.

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I think I have you all beat -- 7 years.

I lost count on the doctors and 3 or 4 PT's gave up on me for refusing to rest, quit, etc. The last one knew I wasn't going to rest and worked with me, not against me. Quite the concept.

Two very important things happened with this one:

1. He told me it was going to take a year or two due to scar tissue issues (whaddya know, I rhyme). He had to remind me of this several times when I plateaued.

2. I injured the other side. Best thing that could have happened. Once I was symmetrical, I finally quit reinjuring the bad (old) side by being too comfortable/pushing with the good.

I can post my program if anyone really wants to know. I think the consistency of doing the exercises every other day and the sticking with it for a year really helped.

Yes, please list the exercises you did.

thanks

Please list your exercises. I will see if they can be applied to me.

In addition to the things everyone else has mentioned, I found I hurt more with less mileage. I was a low mileage guy and my periformis seemed to do better with increased mileage. Maybe conincidence, but it might be worth a try along with the things others have advised.

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aedh wrote:

I can post my program if anyone really wants to know. I think the consistency of doing the exercises every other day and the sticking with it for a year really helped.

please post!

please post exercises