The Pigeon Piriformis Stretch

How to do the Pigeon Piriformis stretch to decrease knee and hip pain, fast! A simple at-home mobility stretching exercise to improve glute flexibility!

Decrease Hip Pain and Improve Your Glute Function!

The Piriformis Muscle is a small, but powerful muscle that assists with all of your glute muscle functions. When your Glute Muscles (the prime hip movers) are in a weak position the Piriformis assists to keep things working.

This muscle is very useful, but becomes tight when overworked, such as with athletes, or in those who sit often, as most of us do.

Use one of the following variations of this Pigeon stretch to decrease pain and improve hip function.

There are 2 Variations to the Pigeon Stretch:

The Raised Half Pigeon Stretch – For beginners or those with very tight hips.
The Full Pigeon Stretch – For those with proper hip function that want to maintain it.

Raised Half Pigeon Stretch

Purpose:

Increase Hip External Rotation
Increase Hip Flexion
Improved Hip Function

Focus:

Hip External Rotation (Glutes)
Hip Flexion (Glutes)

Find a flat raised surface, between the knee and hip height.
Place the lateral side of your lower leg against the raised surface parallel to your shoulders.
Extend and internally rotate your opposite leg behind you until you feel a stretch in your glute.
Move around in this position with control going from one side to the other with both a vertical and leaning torso positions.

Note: If you feel pain in your knee, then you likely have tight perennials (lateral calf muscles) and should free your foot by allowing it to hang off the edge of the flat surface until they are better mobilized.

Full Pigeon Stretch

Purpose:

Increase Hip External Rotation
Increase Hip Flexion
Increase Hip Extension
Improved Hip Function

Focus:

Hip External Rotation (Glutes)
Hip Flexion (Glutes)

Place the lateral side of your lower leg against the floor, parallel to your shoulders.
Extend and internally rotate your opposite leg behind you until you feel a stretch in your glute.
Move around in this position with control going from one side to the other with both a vertical and leaning torso positions.

Note: If you feel pain in your knee, then you likely have tight perennials (lateral calf muscles) and should free your foot by allowing it to be pulled in towards your hips until they are better mobilized.