Muscle of the Month:

The Piriformis muscle is flat pyramid shape muscle and its main job is lateral rotation of the upper leg and stabilizes the hip.  This particular muscle is important for runners or cyclists or anyone that is active.  If this muscle is not stretched on a regular basic it can cause pain in the hip and glute region of the body and can caused sciatic nerve pain.  A tight Piriformis can rotate your sacrum and make one leg shorter than the other.  When you experience a muscle spasm in the glute area it can make it difficult to walk or sit.

The cross-legged stretch is a great way to stretch out the Piriformis muscle.

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Another way to too keep this muscle in check is to use a foam roller after each workout.  My suggestion is to roll out the quadriceps,  IT Band, low back and then the piriformis.  If you are physically active or if you just sit at a desk all day long your body needs movement at least 30 minutes per day.  Go for a brisk walk outside or inside a school if the weather is bad.