By Atul Vyas
Sciatica is a condition in which ache or the pain runs down the leg from back or buttocks due to inflammation or irritation of or pressure on sciatica nerve. It may be caused by many reasons like stenosis, irritation of the sciatica nerve by the piriformis muscle.
Here, we will discus sciatica pain due to tightening of pirformis muscles.
The piriformis muscles are one of the several sets of muscles that rotate our hips outwards, helping to keep you stable and upright when moving around. Piriformis syndrome occurs when one of these muscles tightens and irritates sciatica nerve.
The pirformis muscles run over the sciatica nerve and can easily put pressure on it, if they become too tight or go into spasm from strain or overuse. This irritates the sciatica nerve which actually runs directly through the piriformis muscles and any distortion or tightness in these cause sciatica pain.
Yoga provides many effective exercises for the flexibility of piriformis muscles, which ease and cure sciatica pain caused by their tightness. One of the yogic pose is “Vakrasana”.
This seated pose is very effective for greater flexibility of one’s hip joint.It is very useful for preventing or easing piriformis syndrome.
Technique
- Sit on floor with legs extended
- Support yourself with your left hand
- Bend the left leg and cross it over your right leg, keeping left foot flat
- Take the right hand and gently press on the outside of your left knee, until you can feel the stretch at the outside of the thigh
- Hold briefly then switch sides
- Breathe normally while in pose
Benefits
- Relaxes tight piriformis muscles thus in turn relieving sciatica pain
- Remove constipation and flatulence
- Removes weakness of liver and nervous weaknesses
- Reduces rigidity of spine
- Very useful for kidney and other stomach ailments too
—————————————————————-
Atul Vyas likes to be called a “Yoga Scientist”. He is a celebrity yoga trainer and has trained several top Hollywood and Bollywood stars. He has trained for years under many eminent yoga gurus including his illustrious mother Daya Vyas, the first lady yoga guru of India.
