I just started having the same problems. I've been trying the foam roller, but TP massage ball is probably better to relieve that muscle since it is so deep. I've been seeing the ART doc once per week too. He thinks it's related to really tight hamstrings. Mine really tightens up when my cycling kicks up over 4 hours.

Good luck! If you find the miracle cure, let me know!

:-)

Jodi

YOUR SEAT'S TOO HIGH!

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Forget speedwork. Speedwork is the icing on the cake and you don't have a cake yet. - MattinSF

Basically they have 9 tenants, live life to the fullest, do not turn the cheak, and embrace the 7 deadly since. - TheForge (on satanists)

Too high huh? Im going to get a fitting next week. I will have him fix that. By the way
I was doing alot of speed work this spring to improve my running speed. All I did was hurt myself, and I kept seeing ur quote. So I have stopped the speedwork and am working on the cake. I think all the speed work contributed to this injury also.

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"Im not young enough to know everything."
Oscar Wilde

When my seat was too high it bugged me in that area so make sure your fitter checks that. Takes a long time to go away.

Speed work is risky, much easier to get injured. Get a big base first. This gets more important every year as you get older. Just do the speedwork leading up to big races.

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Forget speedwork. Speedwork is the icing on the cake and you don't have a cake yet. - MattinSF

Basically they have 9 tenants, live life to the fullest, do not turn the cheak, and embrace the 7 deadly since. - TheForge (on satanists)

Lordy lordy... I had BAD piriformis issues in 2001. I had to stop running for about 4 months to fix it. Lots of PT and massage during that period. My root cause? Weak core strength which allowed the pelvis to tilt sideways (LR) and rotate downward. The imbalance of the core let the pelvis go wonky, mostly due to some (what turned out to be minor) biomechanical issues in my running gait. That in turn made the hammy on the affected side very very tight, and the glute on the affected side turn to mush. In fact, I had real difficulty in getting that glute to fire, I had to retrain it (seriously - I had a broken ass). I learned how to run in a more symmetrical fashion (i.e.: eliminated some of the left to right differences), learned to improve my posture (pelvic tilt type stuff), did a gazillion kegels (which was very handy when I went thru pregnancy and post-partum changes), and learned to stretch the hips and lower back.

There are lots of possible causes for piriformis issues. I have found that injuries that are neglected (for lack of a better word) tend to express themselves as pain/inflammation/etc. in locations that are further and further from the core/trunk as they progressively get worse. If you ignore your piriformis problem, it will become a hammy problem, then a knee problem, then a calf/foot problem....

PM me if you want more info.

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

Piriformis is the worst, sounds like AndyPants had it worse than me, but her treatment plan was spot on.

I had piriformis problem (and still do a little) at the end of last summer. First noticed it after playing ultimate frisbee, agame that involves lots of sprinting.

I talked to lots of people and just like this board there are many possible causes/satelite problems associated and treatments.

Tight hamstrings, IT band and weak core work are all associated.

Doing the following things everyday for a few weeks helped me

Foam roll both IT bands for 3 minutes (1-2x per day)
Stretch the hell out of your hamstrings
Core work
Hip alignment work
Seeing a PT (ultrasound was the best) but she gave me many of the core, hip exercizes that I needed to do.

Lots of people around here also swear by an ART Chiro, which I have yet to do, but may eventually.

Well piriformis is a catchall for all the hip flexor, sacro s.i. joint, etc; pains in the butt.
I thought cutting back on the run and just biking, swimming would help, and it has....i.e. pain level is noticeably lower, but still not gone. I have an Iron in Aug. and will try to get through it with minimal running (compensating with more biking).
I am doing specific hip alignment / strengthening exercises daily, sitting on a SACRO WEDGY at work, using
egoscue method (e-cises)...trying it all...mine is s.i. joint issue with muscle imbalance (piriformis and others).

If anyone has a "try this" solution I am there....
Let me know how it goes and what works.

Get a golf ball and roll it between your ass and something hard like a wall. When you find that sweet sweet spot of PAIN and TIGHTNESS, roll roll roll your way to a looser muscle. Hurts but works like a charm.

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

Anyone ever use this?
http://www.reliefmart.com/sacroiliac.htm

it looks funny, but I know if I put pressure (tennis ball, hand, whatever) in that area it seems to help.

Serious replys....please.

i have a sim problem. I have been going to ART 2 times a week and icing every night.It started as tendentios in my right knee. Wich all related.The itb was very thight.Strech but do not strech a sore or very stiff muscle.I prolong by over streching for a period.i back it down and then started to see results

i was a runner all my life, never had a problem. then started riding my bike, and my pirformis has never been the same. it is horrible.

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Striving to have sex more than 66 times per year

I have had it off and on for years. Recently it got so bad I had to quit running, biking and swimming for a week. I could hardly walk. Now after stregthening my core, using the foam roller on the ITB, stretching the hammys, the quads the lower back, the periformis, the psoas, the hips, the adductucors, 6 X a day, I am finding relief. Stretching and strengthening are very important. I am spending about 40-60 minutes a day working on both. Previously no core work and about 40 minutes of stretching a week. I also saw a physical therapist who worked up a plan for the areas that I was weak or inflexible in.