Hips tight or painful, pain in the butt, possible sciatic nerve pressure.

These are self-care tips to help bring temporary relief while we are dealing with COVID-19 restrictions. These exercises alone probably won't solve the problem because we are addressing symptoms not the root issues like common compensatory patterns caused by muscular imbalances, poor posture, overuse or inactivity. These tips are best used between bodywork sessions as home-retraining exercises recommended by a Myoskeletal Alignment Therapist, Physical Therapist, or a bodyworker who takes a global approach and understands how to assess and treat the underlying issues. For lasting results seek professional help to address the underlying issue and contributing factors.

Piriformis

Symptoms: Tight or painful hips, pain in the butt, Sciatic Nerve

Most of us have tight hips from prolonged sitting, overuse or structural misalignment. There are several ways to stretch the piriformis, today I'm going to show you a seated version.

To stretch the left piriformis: sit and bring your left ankle over your right knee. Without hunching your back, lean toward your right knee. Different muscle fibers can be targeted by leaning toward the opposite knee. To increase the stretch gently push the left knee toward the floor while bending forward.

As with any stretch be gentle and avoid jerky or quick movements going into or out of the stretch.