Andie MacDowell has opened up about her health, revealing that she has been diagnosed with Piriformis Syndrome.

The 66-year-old made the revelation during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on January 23.

Andie MacDowell has opened up about her health. Credit: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Getty

“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,” MacDowell told host Drew Barrymore, 49.

Initially concerned about needing surgery, MacDowell added, “I thought I was going to have to have hip replacement, thank God, my hips are fine.”

The actress explained how she has worked to improve her condition. “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, adding that the pain “doesn’t hurt anymore,” calling it “a miracle.”

Piriformis syndrome, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is caused when the piriformis muscle in the buttocks presses on the sciatic nerve.

Symptoms often include tenderness, tingling, and pain while sitting, climbing stairs, walking, or running.

The condition is associated with sciatica and can result from damage, irritation, or overuse of the muscle.

MacDowell also spoke about embracing the aging process, an approach she has become known for in Hollywood, especially after deciding to go natural with her silver hair during the pandemic.

“I think as you age, lift weights, work with a [personal trainer] PT person to build your muscles,” MacDowell said while discussing the importance of fitness.

However, the journey hasn’t been without setbacks. She admitted to overdoing certain exercises, saying: “I’d been riding my indoor bike like a crazy person… It’s not appropriate for my body, and I ended up with bad knees and a bad hip. I thought I was literally falling apart.”

During the interview, MacDowell also shared how moving to South Carolina has brought her joy now that her children have grown up and moved out. The actress is a mother to three children: daughters Margaret Qualley, 30, and Rainey Qualley, 35, and son Justin Qualley, 39, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Paul Qualley.

“I’m happier now than I have been in a long time,” MacDowell said. “I moved to South Carolina, and I really, I’m taking good care of myself. It took me forever.”

MacDowell and her daughter, Margaret Qualley. Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty

The move came after a period of adjustment following her children leaving home. “Once my kids left, I felt this huge void in my life because they were so important to me.”

MacDowell credited her daughter Margaret for inspiring her to embrace her new phase of life.

“Margaret really was kinda telling me I was supposed to be having the time of my life, but I wasn’t,” she explained. “But now I am. I’m having the time of my life now. It’s really good.”