How do I release piriformis syndrome (deep glute pain)?

A deep, nagging ache in the buttock that can shoot down the leg often comes from the piriformis - a small muscle deep in the hip that helps rotate the leg. When it gets tight and irritated, usually from long sitting, it presses on the sciatic nerve lying right beside it - which is why piriformis pain feels so much like sciatica. Something has layered over the nerve; free it, and relief comes.

We come at it from two directions. Slow, supported stretches release the deep hip muscles so they stop squeezing the nerve - the straps carry the legs, so the muscle can let go on its own terms instead of bracing. And decompression of the body creates space and takes the pressure off the lower spine, unloading the whole area. A tight muscle releases far faster when it feels safe than when it is pushed.

Ease in gently and give it a few regular sessions. Listen to your body: if the pain shoots sharply, we do not force - we start even softer, little by little.