Streches for the lowest of the lower back
September 15, 2010 1:05 PM Subscribe
I have the wrong kind of tight ass. Please help it.
A muscle in my extreme lower back -- just to the west of my tailbone -- has been in a knot for the past few days. (Not for the first time. And there is a knot; I can feel it.) It results in a throbbing ache, as well as a tingling feeling down my leg and into my toes. Yes, I will see a doctor if it persists, but first I'd like to try some stretches to see if I can get it to loosen up. Problem is: It's not really a muscle that moves. Walking helps, but only after about 5 minutes of movement, and it's hard to take too many 10 minute walks when you work in an office.
What are some stretches that will loosen up a butt cheek? Bonus points for things I can do hourly during the work day.
Please don't suggest yoga. Doesn't fit in to the schedule right now. Looking for stretches I can do on my own.
A muscle in my extreme lower back -- just to the west of my tailbone -- has been in a knot for the past few days. (Not for the first time. And there is a knot; I can feel it.) It results in a throbbing ache, as well as a tingling feeling down my leg and into my toes. Yes, I will see a doctor if it persists, but first I'd like to try some stretches to see if I can get it to loosen up. Problem is: It's not really a muscle that moves. Walking helps, but only after about 5 minutes of movement, and it's hard to take too many 10 minute walks when you work in an office.
What are some stretches that will loosen up a butt cheek? Bonus points for things I can do hourly during the work day.
Please don't suggest yoga. Doesn't fit in to the schedule right now. Looking for stretches I can do on my own.
Best answer: An alternative to the foam roller is a tennis ball.
posted by statsgirl at 1:14 PM on September 15, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by statsgirl at 1:14 PM on September 15, 2010 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Sit straight on the edge of your chair with your feet straight on the floor. Cross the leg that ends in the offending cheek over the other leg, making a four shape. The ankle is across the knee. Sit up straight and lean straight forward. as far as you comfortably can Does that hit the target at all? You can do it anytime.
posted by rainbaby at 1:17 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by rainbaby at 1:17 PM on September 15, 2010
Sounds like a muscle is impinging the sciatic nerve. Short term, stretching could make it worse, unless you are a very careful and patient stretch-er (most are not). I highly recommend massage / soft tissue manipulation, perhaps a 'sports massage' practitioner. Til then, ice it - 10 mins on, 10 mins off; rinse, repeat.
Also make sure you are properly hydrated. Muscles work poorly when dry; muscles in duress heal slowly without good circulation, which is not going to be helped if you're not drinking enough water, or pulling it out of your system with too much coffee, soda, or booze.
IANAD. Just someone who's been there.
posted by armoir from antproof case at 1:19 PM on September 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Also make sure you are properly hydrated. Muscles work poorly when dry; muscles in duress heal slowly without good circulation, which is not going to be helped if you're not drinking enough water, or pulling it out of your system with too much coffee, soda, or booze.
IANAD. Just someone who's been there.
posted by armoir from antproof case at 1:19 PM on September 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
You may have luck with my previously described sock bagel.
posted by phunniemee at 1:21 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by phunniemee at 1:21 PM on September 15, 2010
Best answer: These exercises were great for me for the same area, particularly the ankle-over-knee ones.
posted by zizzle at 1:27 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by zizzle at 1:27 PM on September 15, 2010
Best answer: IANAD. But, I am involved in a lot of fitness arenas such as crossfit, endurance running, and have trained/coached athletes.
That sounds this sounds like something is up with your piriformis. Google "piriformis".
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/piriformis-syndrome.php
posted by rlef98 at 1:32 PM on September 15, 2010
That sounds this sounds like something is up with your piriformis. Google "piriformis".
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/piriformis-syndrome.php
posted by rlef98 at 1:32 PM on September 15, 2010
I had a similar problem and definitely recommend 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale. I also started taking a magnesium supplement called Natural Calm which helps keep my muscles from getting into those knots in the first place.
posted by melissam at 1:34 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by melissam at 1:34 PM on September 15, 2010
Seconding the tennis ball. My chiro advised me to use it when I had a piriformis injury last year. If you do it right, it... gets... right...in there. Ahh.
posted by dozo at 1:59 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by dozo at 1:59 PM on September 15, 2010
Best answer: Sounds like you have a spasm of the piriformis. Bunch of stretches here: http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/HipsWt.html (see the group at the bottom of the page).
posted by neuron at 4:26 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by neuron at 4:26 PM on September 15, 2010
If the tennis ball isn't enough, upgrade to a lacrosse ball. Those hard little buggers are great for self-massage.
posted by ch1x0r at 4:42 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by ch1x0r at 4:42 PM on September 15, 2010
I'm not sure if stretching is going to do much for you. I do quite a bit of foam rolling these days and that might work.
Don't see a doctor though. See a good massage therapist, or a PT who works with sports injury or rehab. They should be versed in deep tissue and manipulative modalities. Trigger Point is awesome. I also like Active Release Technique.
posted by P.o.B. at 6:39 PM on September 15, 2010
Don't see a doctor though. See a good massage therapist, or a PT who works with sports injury or rehab. They should be versed in deep tissue and manipulative modalities. Trigger Point is awesome. I also like Active Release Technique.
posted by P.o.B. at 6:39 PM on September 15, 2010
Please consider going to a chiropractor. A lot of muscle issues stem from misalignment of the bones, since we compromise for the dysfunctions of our frame by holding our bodies in a particular way. That stresses our muscles and if the frame misalignment issue goes uncorrected, the pain can become chronic. Seeing a chiropractor regularly may help your lower back pain issues in the long run.
posted by melancholyplay at 8:35 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by melancholyplay at 8:35 PM on September 15, 2010
IANAD
The tingling down your leg indicates that the nerve serving those regions is effected. It might be caused by the tight muscle - only a qualified professional who could poke the affected muscle and who has a knowledge of anatomy could tell you that for sure. It is also possible that the same thing that is affecting the leg nerve is also affecting the muscle and causing it to misbehave.
My husband has suffered with a herniated disk for years that caused symptoms at least superficially similar to what you describe. His pain management doctor was wary of anything that could exasperate the nerve irritation including chiropractics and stretching. The idea here is that the nerve is been physically interfered with (in his case by a disk herniation pressing against it). So generally moving the nerve around made things worse.
That said, if stretching doesn't make it worse and helps then keep doing it. If the pain doesn't go away then go see a doctor because it might be a problem with your back.
posted by Long Way To Go at 8:37 PM on September 15, 2010
The tingling down your leg indicates that the nerve serving those regions is effected. It might be caused by the tight muscle - only a qualified professional who could poke the affected muscle and who has a knowledge of anatomy could tell you that for sure. It is also possible that the same thing that is affecting the leg nerve is also affecting the muscle and causing it to misbehave.
My husband has suffered with a herniated disk for years that caused symptoms at least superficially similar to what you describe. His pain management doctor was wary of anything that could exasperate the nerve irritation including chiropractics and stretching. The idea here is that the nerve is been physically interfered with (in his case by a disk herniation pressing against it). So generally moving the nerve around made things worse.
That said, if stretching doesn't make it worse and helps then keep doing it. If the pain doesn't go away then go see a doctor because it might be a problem with your back.
posted by Long Way To Go at 8:37 PM on September 15, 2010
Best answer: The stretch mentioned involving putting the ankle of the affected side over the other knee usually works really well, and depending on your level of flexibility could be done seated in a chair at work. And it'll probably be obvious to you when it's working based on the searing stretchish pain, but to really affect the piriformis muscle, you want to be focusing on lifting your ankle in relation to your knee and thereby rotating your whole leg.
And yes you should probably go to a doctor about it. If you are experiencing pain in your butt as well as the tingling, it is most likely exactly what you think it is: your piriformis muscle compressing your sciatic nerve, rather than a disk problem or an inflammation of the sciatic nerve. That being said, the "knot" you are feeling could very well be your sciatic nerve itself (it can be quite palpable in some positions, it's thicker than your thumb, and if you push on it it'll give you wicked tingles down your leg). For that reason, while a tennis ball could very well help relax your piriformis (or cause enough pain to make you think that something MUST be working), when I need to massage a client's piriformis I usually only massage the very end of it. A common way to relax muscles is to basically push really hard on their tendon, which simulates their being overstretched and triggers a reflex that releases them. As a bonus, it should also release some endorphins in the area. Stretches are generally really safe, but if you feel like trying to do a bit more to minimize your pain and reduce the tone of that pesky piriformis (!before you get to a doctor!), this is how to massage it, by yourself:
Lay on your good side, like the nice nude lady in this painting I've labelled. If you do not happen to have similar awesome furniture for lounging on, you can prop your upper body up a bit with your lower arm. The point of that is just to bring your hip bone and leg bone a bit closer together so the muscles between them are more or less lax, allowing you to "dig in" to what's underneath. Again, looking at the lovely lady, the peak of her hip curve is not actually her hip bone/pelvis, but the top of her thigh bone/greater trochanter of the femur. If you feel down from your hip towards this, there should be a mostly squishy crease, then a distinctly less squishy area. If this bony bump moves when you make big, obvious leg movements, then it's your femur. You should be able to squish your knuckles down into the squishy crease area and then dig them into the bone. It'll probably work best if you knead in small firm circles, pushing against the bone, towards your feet. If your leg is straight, the piriformis tendon should be right on "top", but knuckling all around this knoblike projection will probably feel good/relieving/painful yet effective, especially around the back as you dig into the part that's mostly buried in the side of your butt. Don't do this if you find you feel unstable in that position, and don't do it hard enough to bruise (or hard enough that it hurts really bad).
I am a massage therapist (and askme lurker who finally feels qualified to answer!), sorry that took so long to explain, I don't think you'll find it that difficult to do, though, your own discomfort will probably guide you pretty well. I hope there is nothing more complicated than it sounds, and you get this fixed quickly!
posted by rosken at 10:38 PM on September 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
And yes you should probably go to a doctor about it. If you are experiencing pain in your butt as well as the tingling, it is most likely exactly what you think it is: your piriformis muscle compressing your sciatic nerve, rather than a disk problem or an inflammation of the sciatic nerve. That being said, the "knot" you are feeling could very well be your sciatic nerve itself (it can be quite palpable in some positions, it's thicker than your thumb, and if you push on it it'll give you wicked tingles down your leg). For that reason, while a tennis ball could very well help relax your piriformis (or cause enough pain to make you think that something MUST be working), when I need to massage a client's piriformis I usually only massage the very end of it. A common way to relax muscles is to basically push really hard on their tendon, which simulates their being overstretched and triggers a reflex that releases them. As a bonus, it should also release some endorphins in the area. Stretches are generally really safe, but if you feel like trying to do a bit more to minimize your pain and reduce the tone of that pesky piriformis (!before you get to a doctor!), this is how to massage it, by yourself:
Lay on your good side, like the nice nude lady in this painting I've labelled. If you do not happen to have similar awesome furniture for lounging on, you can prop your upper body up a bit with your lower arm. The point of that is just to bring your hip bone and leg bone a bit closer together so the muscles between them are more or less lax, allowing you to "dig in" to what's underneath. Again, looking at the lovely lady, the peak of her hip curve is not actually her hip bone/pelvis, but the top of her thigh bone/greater trochanter of the femur. If you feel down from your hip towards this, there should be a mostly squishy crease, then a distinctly less squishy area. If this bony bump moves when you make big, obvious leg movements, then it's your femur. You should be able to squish your knuckles down into the squishy crease area and then dig them into the bone. It'll probably work best if you knead in small firm circles, pushing against the bone, towards your feet. If your leg is straight, the piriformis tendon should be right on "top", but knuckling all around this knoblike projection will probably feel good/relieving/painful yet effective, especially around the back as you dig into the part that's mostly buried in the side of your butt. Don't do this if you find you feel unstable in that position, and don't do it hard enough to bruise (or hard enough that it hurts really bad).
I am a massage therapist (and askme lurker who finally feels qualified to answer!), sorry that took so long to explain, I don't think you'll find it that difficult to do, though, your own discomfort will probably guide you pretty well. I hope there is nothing more complicated than it sounds, and you get this fixed quickly!
posted by rosken at 10:38 PM on September 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Definitely sounds like the piriformis muscle. I suffered with the same pain for 6 months and then finally went to the doctor who prescribed physical therapy. Well, the first day of PT my therapist had me lay on my stomach and he basically used his fist to push really REALLY hard right on the muscle, which was in a knot. It hurt like hell. I have a very low tolerance for pain. The next day my buttock was really sore. But 2 days later the pain was gone. GONE! And it's never come back. The physical therapist couldn't believe he fixed me in one session. I told him he was my hero.
posted by wherever, whatever at 11:05 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by wherever, whatever at 11:05 PM on September 15, 2010
I suffered with the same pain for 6 months and then finally went to the doctor who prescribed physical therapy
Yep. I honestly didn't mean to say stay away from the doctor, just that it sounds like something the doctor is going to refer to someone else anyway. You should be able to avoid an extra couple hundred dollars worth of charges if you go to a qualified PT or LMT from the get go.
Anyway, good luck.
posted by P.o.B. at 1:15 PM on September 16, 2010
Yep. I honestly didn't mean to say stay away from the doctor, just that it sounds like something the doctor is going to refer to someone else anyway. You should be able to avoid an extra couple hundred dollars worth of charges if you go to a qualified PT or LMT from the get go.
Anyway, good luck.
posted by P.o.B. at 1:15 PM on September 16, 2010
I have used those "As Seen On TV" dryer balls. They have a knobby surface that works well.
posted by Drasher at 11:02 PM on September 17, 2010
posted by Drasher at 11:02 PM on September 17, 2010
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posted by TheBones at 1:10 PM on September 15, 2010