Andie MacDowell has revealed she’s been diagnosed with piriformis syndrome, a rare neuromuscular condition.
The actress, 66, said she had “shooting” pains down her leg and feared she would have to have a hip replacement.
The Four Weddings and a Funeral star opened up about the diagnosis during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on Thursday.
"I have piriformis syndrome, so it's a muscle that kind of clamps down on my sciatic nerve, and it was shooting down my leg," she told Barrymore, 49.
"I thought I was going to have to have hip replacement, thank God, my hips are fine.”
MacDowell explained that she’s doing daily exercises to improve her health.
“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 said.
The Groundhog Day star added that it “doesn’t hurt anymore," calling it "a miracle."
Piriformis syndrome is a “rare neuromuscular condition that occurs when the piriformis muscle in the buttocks presses on the sciatic nerve,” according to the National Institutes of Health.
Symptoms may include include tenderness, aching, tingling and/or numbness of the buttock and pain when sitting for a long period of time, climbing stairs, walking or running.
Piriformis syndrome is caused by damage, irritation or overuse of the piriformis muscle which can make the muscle swell or tighten.
MacDowell shared the health news while how exercise has affected her body as she gets older.
“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 said.
“But most recently, what happened when I was working last season as 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, and I didn't realize what was, I thought I was literally falling apart, like I was gonna have to get new pieces.”
She continued: “But the good news is my pieces are fine. My knees are good except for like aging. They've aged. I'm working out really hard now doing PT. I'm not falling apart. Well, thank God.”
