Reducing Sciatica Pain
Irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve causes sciatica. It is usually caused from a compressed nerve in the lower spine.
A chiropractor can customize a treatment program specifically for your sciatic pain. It should be a specific and progressive exercise program to address the persistent problem of pain. And so with these exercise recommendations, we consider two main purposes:
To reduce the sciatic pain as soon as possible.
To provide specific stretches to help prevent recurrences.
Best Stretches to Reduce Sciatica Pain
Exercise is usually better for relieving sciatic pain than bed rest. You may rest or be inactive for a day or two after your sciatic pain flares up, but you may notice that the pain worsens.
Exercise is important to spinal disc health. Exercise and movement help the discs get the nutrients and fluids to keep them healthy and prevent pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Features of the sciatica exercise program include:
- Hamstring stretches: The hamstrings are the muscles at the back of the thigh that run from the pelvis through the knee. It helps bend the knee and expand the hips. Routine hamstring stretching benefits most types of sciatica pain. When the hamstrings are overly tight, it increases the stress on the lower back, and most of the time aggravates some of the conditions that can cause sciatica. Since most of your daily activities do not stretch the hamstrings, they tend to be stiff and inflexible. So, you need stretching exercises to help keep them healthy and flexible.
Ways to effectively stretch hamstring:
- A patient should avoid bouncing when doing any type of hamstring stretches. Bouncing can trigger muscle spasms. Instead of doing it vigorously, stretch the muscles gently and hold it for few seconds.
- Start to hold the hamstring stretch for 10 seconds, and gradually increase it up to 30 seconds.
- Do not hold your breath while holding the stretching.
- You should be in a position that is most comfortable for you while doing the stretching. Lying position is preferable, but with the patients with low back pain, you should choose the position that is more comfortable.
- It is best to do the hamstring stretches twice a day. It is helpful to have it coupled with other activities you do twice daily, such as brushing your teeth. In this way, you avoid to forget it. If the stretching is only done before your usual exercise, chances are you may not be able to do it sufficiently.
- Have a warm-up before stretching. An example of the warm-up includes a 10-minute slow walk to get the blood flowing to the muscles.
Exercises for Herniated Disc
A herniated disc is a problem with one of the cushions between the vertebrae that stack up to make your spine. It can result in pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg because of the irritation that is happening on nearby nerves.
Exercises for leg pain and other symptoms caused by lumbar or lower back herniated disc are defined according to the position that causes the patients’ symptoms to shift from leg or foot to lower back.
To get the pain to move up from the leg to the lower back, get into a backward bending position, or what is referred to as extension exercises or press-ups.
Place the lower back in an extension by lying on the stomach. While keeping hips on the floor, prop the body up on the elbows. Since some patients cannot endure the extension exercise at first, you should start out slowly.
Hold the position for five seconds, and gradually increase up to 30 seconds. Repeat the position ten times.
While lying flat on the stomach, press up on the hands while the pelvis remains on the floor. For a gentle stretch, keep the low back and buttocks relaxed. Hold the position for a second and repeat 10 times.
Exercises for Spinal Stenosis
Sciatic pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve down the leg while walking is a typical symptom of spinal stenosis. When you have sciatic pain, you can only feel relief when you are sitting down.
In treating sciatica caused by spinal stenosis, a chiropractor may encourage flexion exercises or forward bending. When bending forward, the passageways increase in size. It also resolves the irritation and impingement, so patients often feel better when bending forward.
If you feel sciatica pain, it is important to get spinal treatment. Visit Beyond Wellness Chiropractic Center and get treatment that is proven to be very effective.
