Is Cycling Good For Piriformis Syndrome? [Solve your Pinch-Butt Syndrome]

Yes, cycling is fantastic for piriformis syndrome. Piriformis syndrome is the weakening and slow deterioration of the piriformis in the body. Whether it is on the right or left side (or both) it will really talk to you. Typically it is coupled with tightening in the lower back or a radiation of pain through the hamstring as well. Solving problems with the tissues in the piriformis (one of the largest muscles in the body) will solve many problems for your body overall. One of the ways to solve those problems is through cycling and many people are wondering “Is cycling good for piriformis syndrome?

In this post we will discuss how and why cycling is fantastic for piriformis syndrome. Following we will give 2 exercises to do in the gym before or after riding your bike. We will followup with general movements to avoid that can cause a piriformis flareup. And finally we will discuss the best ways to relax, elongate and send the piriformis into restorative mode. By the end of this article, you should have any understanding of what is going on int the piriformis, how to repair it through both cycling, and natural body movements to manage flare-up onset.

Is cycling good for piriformis syndrome?

Yes, cycling is great for piriformis syndrome. Cycling allows the muscles to flex, workout and elongate without any impact on the body. There is no way to develop a piriformis overuse injury through cycling, but you’ll still get all of the benefits of doing a full workout in the area. You are increasing blood flow, elongating the muscles, all while still working out the area and strengthening the weakened tendons, ligaments and tissues within and around the piriformis.

It is recommended that you ride at least 30 minutes a day every other day in a zone 1 or 2 cardio space to aid the repair of the piriformis and surrounding muscles. Pairing this with warm up exercises in the gym and cool down stretches is a winning combination.

What is the best gym exercise for piriformis syndrome?

The best exercise for piriformis syndrome is the clamshell. The close second best is the fire hydrant. The clam-shell is slightly better than the fire hydrant because many people note that it is slightly easier to target and isolate the piriformis with the clamshell exercise. The fire hydrants are great but take a small amount of headspace to make sure and ask yourself “How is my form” while doing the exercise. Here are 2 photos of the exercise below.

With the clamshell, in your mind’s eye, focus on two things:

• Heels: Make sure that the heels of your feet are connected; opening and closing like the spine of a book
• Hip Bone: Focus on your hip bone being aimed perpendicular into the floor.

With the fire hydrant, it is a bit more of an art.

• Leg Angle: Focus on keeping your leg at a right angle as you lift your knee off the floor. There will be a small amount of play where you are able to make adjustments in the angle of your legs to where you will feel a very targeted burn directly in the piriformis. If you feel it in your calf, your leg is too far forward. Tip: If you feel the burn in your hamstring, your leg is too far backward.

Does cycling cause tight piriformis?

No, cycling typically does not cause tight piriformis unless you are doing something wrong. The most typical reason why something may feel off would be if you are cycling with poor bicycle fit. If your bicycle is not fit properly, you will develop strange feelings of pain in odd places. You can doublecheck the basics for bicycle fit here. You can also go to a shop to get a professional bicycle fit done. Lately, there are trades-people that specifically specialize in bicycle fits only (rather than going to a shop that happens to have an understanding of bicycle fit) beginning to surface.

What movements irritate piriformis?

The piriformis enjoys when the body is in alignment, and it enjoys as many right angles as possible. This means if there are a lot of acute, or obtuse angles in your body for a long amount of time in the piriformis region, then you will start to find that you are causing the piriformis a lot of pain. 

The piriformis is not the biggest fan of high impact movements over the long run (years). So cycling tends to be a great relief to the piriformis in comparison to other options for exercise.

That is a very high level overview of what can cause the piriformis to irritate. Here are some examples, though there are many more:

• Sprinting
• Heavy Lifting (Squats)
• Sitting with poor posture
• Constantly Crossing Legs
• Sleeping incorrectly
• Sitting in a car that does not fit the owner

What is the best position to relax the piriformis?

The best position to relax the piriformis by far is the swan stretch. The close second to stretch the piriformis is the cow legs stretch. If you really want to relax the piriformis, before moving into these positions, stretch the surrounding muscles that connect to the piriformis first. (These muscles are affect the vitality of the piriformis because they are also pulling on them as well.)

• Hamstring & hip flexors

Conclusion

Is cycling good for piriformis syndrome? Yes, cycling is fantastic for piriformis syndrome. It is quite possibly one of the best things that an athlete can do to help their piriformis increase in strength, conditioning and healing the tissues surrounding. If you stretch and cool down, the effectiveness of the cycling will be further boosted and very much pain for the athlete will be relieved throughout their day. Clamshells and swan stretches are the piriformis syndrome sufferer’s best friend. Keep cycling and stay healthy.