Andie MacDowell Reveals Painful ‘Piriformis Syndrome’ Diagnosis on Talk Show

Andie MacDowell opened up about her battle with Piriformis Syndrome during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on Thursday, January 23. The 66-year-old actress described the painful condition, which affects the piriformis muscle and compresses the sciatic nerve, causing pain, numbness, and tingling in the hip, buttocks, and leg.

Sharing her experience, the Four Weddings and a Funeral star revealed how intense the pain became. “I have piriformis syndrome. It’s a muscle that 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 said, as reported by Daily Mail.

MacDowell credited physical therapy and a personal trainer for helping her manage the condition. Reflecting on her fitness journey, she admitted that some of her previous workout habits, particularly her use of a Peloton bike, worsened her symptoms.

“I did the Peloton like a crazy person, and it’s not appropriate for my body. I ended up with bad knees and a bad hip,” she explained. “I thought I was literally falling apart like I was gonna have to get new pieces.”

Now, MacDowell is focused on a tailored workout routine. “I have to work my tiny little bottom and my hips. I just do it every day,” she said. Thankfully, her efforts have paid off. “Luckily, my pieces are fine. My knees are good except for like aging. I’m not falling apart. Well, thank God.”

Beyond her health updates, MacDowell shared details about her personal life, revealing she has moved from Los Angeles to South Carolina. “I live in a community that has a lot of people my age, so it makes it really easy to socialize,” she said to the New York Post.

Excitingly, the actress also announced that she will soon be a grandmother again, as her son Justin Qualley, 38, is expecting a child. MacDowell has three children from her first marriage to Paul J. Qualley: Justin, Rainey Qualley, 35, and actress Margaret Qualley, 30.

Reflecting on her independence, MacDowell admitted her daughter Margaret encouraged her to build a life of her own. “Margaret basically told me I needed to get a life. She was right,” she joked.

MacDowell ended on a nostalgic note, recalling the days when her children were young. “They used to follow me to the bathroom. I’d take baths, and they’d put their feet in the tub, and we’d talk. I would love that again, but now they’re grown, and Margaret has a husband. What an inconvenience!”

Margaret recently earned critical acclaim for her role in The Substance, playing a younger version of Demi Moore’s character.