Stretching and self-myofascial release in piriformis syndrome

Piriformis Syndrome (PFS) is defined as a cluster of pain symptoms located in the lumbar and gluteal areas, radiating towards lower limbs. PFS is often misdiagnosed as sciatica, and can lead to chronic pain, scarring of the sciatic nerve or, and in extreme cases, to sciatic nerve paralysis. Among the causes of PFS we can distinguish reflex reactions to overload often resulting from incorrect body posture, sedentary lifestyle, or incorrect muscle training techniques. The aim of this paper was to highlight the diagnostic methods and examples of stretching exercises along with self-myofascial release, which can be used to effectively treat piriformis syndrome.