Hi all,
I am wondering if anyone on the forum has had pitiformis problems and were able to cure it with yoga? I have had this problem for 8 months and am now finally going to Orthopedics to get checked. If push comes to shove, I hope to get a cortisone injection so I can work this problem out. It is pretty hard to do yoga when one of your legs can’t bend. If any of you have had this problem or a cortisone injection please let me know. Thanks
Yes, yoga can help manage PS well enough. U need good guidance. Iyengar or experienced Anusara or any other therapeutic yoga teacher would help. Send me a message for more info if interested, i will look up, or you can google it yourself:)
hope you feel better!
Thank you City Monk,
I know yoga will help my problem but when unable to have free motion with one of your legs it is hard. I love the one where they tell you to cross the leg over the knee. Apparently they have never had this problem. I can’t even get the leg up that far. When I learn for sure from the orthopedist what is going on with my hip for sure I will be better informed on what exercises are appropriate. Wish me luck I am so tired of this leg.
I’m not a medical practitioner and my feedback should not be misinterpreted as medical advice in any way, shape, or form.
The posture you’re referencing specifically targets opening of the piriformis. It would be stunning if when attempting such a maneuver you were adept and without pain. From the yoga perspective it is best (for me) as a yoga therapist to address symptoms rather than labels. In fact a sound yoga teacher avoids the labeling, so common in western medicine, at every turn.
If you’d like to add symptoms that would be helpful.
The body has a method for alerting us when there is discord and that alert method is called “pain”. Ergo physical issues are subtle (and some times not so subtle) requests for us to look at and address something in our living. For this reason, and several others that are not on point here, I tend to steer myself and students away from injections. You are welcome to have one of course and it may “work” for you.
But do seek whatever remedies are effective for you. If you want to address it with Yoga, then more than asana will be needed and a good therapeutically trained yoga teacher would be warranted. They are few and far between but if you mention your geography I may be able to make a referral.
gordon
Hi Gordon,
Thank you so much for trying to help me. I would love to have a therapeutically trained instructor. When I told the yoga instructor of my leg problem she didn’t know anything about hip or leg problems and just ignored it. It would be wonderful to have someone trained in this. I know I will have to go to physical therapy and will be given exercises to do but I do want to do yoga classes with someone trained for this problem.
I live in Northern California. Sacramento. It would be wonderful if there was someone here that could help. Also I want you to know that injections would be the last resort for me.
Last resort, understood. Unfortunately I do not have a referral in Sacramento.
Hi Gordon,
That’s ok about the referral. I researched it on the computer and found one in my area. After my Dr. visit and PT. I will be going to that studio and checking it out. I really appreciate how you follow through with your advice. That is why I enjoy this forum so much. So thanks again.
Cody, sure the regular yoga is not for acute periformis syndrome. I has some problems when I had to drop my regular asana practice and stay with Therapeutic Yoga for a while. Therapeutic yoga is a modified practice designed to promote healthy motion to cure ailments. It also hepls for pain management big time. One can resume regular practice after filling better. There are a lot of info and videos online. The personal teacher or at least a guide is preferred though.
Hope you fell better.
OK, YES, leg crossover WILL HURT! trying to stretch inflamed periformis muscle is not a good idea. You need to work around it. Bad news: takes time. Good news: works and good health stays with you!
I;m sharing a customized practice i have designed for a client. You are welcome to try this set, modify as needed.
You may choose to master one set per month, or set your own schedule. Or you may create your own set by combining items from different sets. All this poses have a therapeutic effect, which I explain below with pictures and cues.
First set. Creating awareness of this “new body”:
Visualization and breathing in to affected area
Second set. Creating strength of a new body:
Stretching the affected area:
Polish the body with:
Ardha matsyendrasana
Rajakapotasana
Trikonasana
Boat pose
Down dog with the knees bent
SI joint release (By Iyengar method)
In addition pay attention to how you:
• Sleep
• Walk
• Sit while eating, watching, surfing the web, driving, chilling.
There is a different focus on each pose. I’ll try to get back later if you are interested 
Hope you fell better!
PS: remember that the most of the body is healthy! Just a little muscle is out of balance!
Hi City Monk,
Thank you so much for all of these poses. Also thanks for letting me know that the leg cross over wasn’t the best idea. I tried it and do know that in yoga if it hurts you need to go easy. Once I know from Ortho that the leg is just piriformis and the low back, arthritis I will be on a exercise roll. Right now I feel like a slug. I used to be active and know that by doing nothing I’m making it worse. I will let you know how it go’s. Thanks again
cody…we all get less active as we grow up;) for different reasons. the first thing on the healing path is an … acceptance, that the body will not stay the same. it gets less agile, less healthy, more rigid and dry. it was a hard thing for me … took me two years to accept my NEW body. just a few minor flows made me deeply upset. meditation helps a lot on the way to recovery!
Feel better soon! Please keep us updated how are you doing