Andie MacDowell, 66, shares secret health condition which left her fearing for her life: ‘Falling apart’
Actress Andie MacDowell has revealed she was diagnosed with Piriformis syndrome, a rare neuromuscular condition that left her fearing she would need hip replacement surgery.
The Four Weddings and a Funeral star, 66, shared her health struggles during Thursday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.
“It’s a muscle that’s, kind of clamps down on my sciatic nerve and it was shooting down my leg. I thought I was gonna have to have a hip replacement. Thank God my hips are fine,” MacDowell told Barrymore.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Piriformis syndrome causes pain, numbness, or tingling in the buttocks and down the back of the leg.
The condition occurs when the piriformis muscle, which runs from the lower spine through the buttocks to the thighs, compresses the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in the body, travelling from the spinal cord through the buttocks and down each leg to the feet.
Symptoms can include tenderness, aching and pain when sitting for extended periods, climbing stairs, walking or running.
MacDowell revealed that excessive use of her Peloton bike had worsened her condition significantly.
“I did the Peloton like a crazy person and it’s not appropriate for my body, and I ended up with bad knees and a bad hip,” she explained on the show.
The actress admitted the experience left her feeling as though she was “literally falling apart like I was gonna have to get new pieces.”
She later discovered her joints were merely showing signs of natural ageing rather than serious damage.
MacDowell has found relief through a dedicated exercise routine with a personal trainer.
“I have to work my tiny little bottom and my hips. I have to work the bottom and work my hip. I just do it every day,” she told Barrymore.
The daily exercises have proven remarkably effective in managing her condition.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore – it’s a miracle, it really is,” MacDowell shared, expressing relief at finding a successful treatment approach.
Despite her health challenges, MacDowell maintains an active lifestyle and a positive attitude towards fitness.
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“I like to eat, but I do love to work out. That is my great fortune because I have had friends that are frustrated because they don’t enjoy it, but I really do enjoy it,” she shared with Barrymore.
The actress now focuses on appropriate exercises through physical therapy, ensuring she stays fit whilst managing her condition.