I experience piriformis pain and lower back pain. My back MRI shows no herniation, so whatever pain I have in my lower back, maybe due to tight pelvic/piriformis muscles.
I have been practicing the Gokhale method for a month now, and have purchased the chair and cushion. I wanted to ask whether the method helps alleviate pains associated to the piriformis muscle, or is it solely catered to the back?
1 month 4 weeks ago
07/05/2009 - 7:54am
Hi,
In our expereince the Gokhale Method is very helpful for both low back and piriformis pain. My suggestion would be to start with gentle lengthening of the back - stretchsitting and stretch lying on the back. A gentle stretch, gentle enough to be comfortable over time, works best.
In another post you mention sacroilliac pain. When the pelvis is mis-aligned the piriformis is often over worked, the SI joint(s) prone to being over strained. The key point is to allow the body to heal gradually, which may mean not rushing to antevert the pelvis too much too soon - always let comfort be your guide. Likewise in glide walking paying attention to kidney bean shaping the feet and the relaxation phase of glide walking might be the best place to start - sometimes the piriformis can be over active and needs some time to relax and let other muscles step up to the mark.
I hope this is helpful to you.
Best
John Carter