Many people know how unpleasant sciatic nerve pain is. Interestingly, walking regularly is one of the factors that increase the morbidity of the sciatic nerve. But there is also good news: sciatica can be cured without surgery in more than 75% of cases. One of the effective ways to accomplish this is through some very simple exercises.
CrfatSides wants to share several techniques to Relieve Sciatic Nerve Pain with you. For your comfort, we have divided them into 3 effective sets.
Symptoms Of Sciatica?
Common symptoms of sciatica include:
- Low back pain
- Pain in the back or legs worse when sitting
- Hip pain
- Burning or tingling in the leg
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving your leg or foot.
- Constant pain on one side of the back.
- Intense pain that makes it difficult to get up.
Sciatica generally affects only one side of the lower body. Often the pain spreads from the lower back to the back of the thigh and down the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also spread to the foot or toes.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root (s) of the lumbar spine and the lower part of the lumbosacral.
Other common causes of sciatica include:
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slides forward over another)
- Pregnancy
- Muscle spasm in the back or buttocks
Other things that can make your back pain worse include being overweight, not exercising regularly, wearing high heels, or sleeping on a very hard or soft mattress.
Best Exercise For Sciatic Nerve Pain
Set # 1
In this set, we collect all the exercises to be performed while lying down. Lay a yoga mat or blanket on a flat surface. Close all windows and doors to prevent drafts and make sure that it’s not cold in the room.
Exercise 1
Lying on your back, bend your knees. Raise your right leg and place your right ankle over your left thigh. Wrap your arms around the back of your left thigh and pull it toward your body. Don’t raise your head off the floor. Stay in this position for at least 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times on each leg.
Exercise 2
To perform the following exercise, lie on your back and place your hands at your sides. Bend your knees and lift your legs, as shown in the picture above. Lift and lower them 5 times.
Exercise 3
For the last exercise in this set, you will need a tennis ball. Take the ball and lie down on it with it positioned under your buttock. Gently move to find the sore spot on the buttock.
Once you find it, you can gently press it for 30 to 60 seconds, relaxing your body on the ball. Roll the ball up and down in this area. Then go to the next sensitive point.
Avoid the area of the spine when rolling and stop immediately if sharp pain occurs. Repeat this exercise 1-2 times a day for 5 to 10 minutes.
Set # 2
This set includes exercises in a sitting position.
Exercise 1
Sit on the floor and bend your legs, holding them in front of you. Supporting your left leg, move your right leg to rest on your left thigh, with your leg still bent.
Straighten your right arm and lower it to the floor. Bend the left arm at the elbow and place it on the right knee. Gently turn your head and body to the right. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat with the left leg.
Exercise 2
For this exercise, you will need a chair. Sitting on a chair, place the left ankle over the right knee. Carefully lean forward, keeping your back straight without rounding it. Hold this position for 10 breaths. Repeat the exercise 5 times for each leg.
Set # 3
The last set consists of standing exercises.
Exercise 1
Place one foot on an elevated surface. Legs and feet should be straight. Gently stretch your leg as close as possible until you feel resistance in your thigh. Try to no longer lift the thigh of the raised leg while stretching. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times on each leg.
Exercise 2
Bend your left leg and place it on an elevated surface. Take a small step backward with your right foot. Carefully stretch your bent leg as close as possible. Hold a few breaths. Repeat the exercise several times with both legs.
Tips For Managing Sciatica
Not only exercise can relieve sciatic nerve pain. To facilitate sciatica, you can use the following tips:
- Do not lift very heavy objects.
- Watch your posture
- Don’t wear high heels
- Try to maintain a healthy weight
- Give up bad habits.
- Sit in the right position
- Get up every 20 minutes.
- Better to buy a mattress of medium firmness
Before engaging in any physical activity, we recommend that you consult a physician for an accurate diagnosis and permission to exercise. Especially if you are pregnant or have serious or chronic illnesses.
How do you handle sciatica? Do you know other exercises or tricks to deal with sciatic nerve pain? Tell us in the comments.
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