Sciatica Exercises to Relieve Pain
Before deciding on a course of exercises to relieve your sciatica it is always best to have a Doctor diagnose the condition.
The main reason is that in rare cases the cause of sciatica could be a tumour or blood clot.
Obviously if one of them is the cause you will need immediate medical treatment to protect you from any life threatening emergency.
However in the vast majority of cases the root cause of sciatica is a less serious spine disorder like:- A Herniated Disc.
The disc which normally provides a cushion between the vertebrae, either ruptures or collapses narrowing the space between the vertebrae and irritating the sciatic nerve Spinal stenosis, where the spinal canal narrows through bone growth, or shrinking of the bones, which is normally the result of ageing.
Again this puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Spondylolisthesis, where one of the spinal vertebrae slips out of position and onto the vertebra below it.
As you may have guessed this also puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Piriformis syndrome.
The Piriformis muscle, which runs through the buttocks, becomes tight and irritates the sciatic nerve.
For each of these diagnoses you can get a specific sciatica exercise plan from a Physiotherapist or sometimes a Chiropractor.
But the exercises recommended will generally include the following:- Stretching.
This normally takes the form of Yoga or Pilates exercises which stretch the muscles in the troubled areas; this releases the tension in those muscles and increases their flexibility.
This in turn relieves the pressure on the sciatic nerve.
The main muscles to concentrate on are the hamstrings, which run down the back of the thigh and the Piriformis which runs through the buttocks.
Tight hamstrings are often both a symptom and cause of sciatica and lower back pain.
Core muscle strengthening.
Improving the strength of the core muscles of the back and abdomen is vital to relieve the pressure on and support the spine.
This will both relieve the pain of sciatica and prevent the condition from recurring.
Once again Yoga and Pilates are ideal for this.
Aerobic exercise.
All muscles perform better if they are regularly used rather than left idle to atrophy.
Aerobic exercise will improve your general health and help reduce weight.
Excessive weight will put increased pressure on the spine and can contribute to sciatica.
For sciatica sufferers it is best to avoid high impact aerobic exercise.
Walking and swimming have been found to have the best results in building resistance to sciatica.
But just wandering around the shops is not much help.
Ideally you need to build up to around 3 miles (5 Kms) per day at a brisk pace.
It almost goes without saying that all exercises should be performed correctly.
Incorrect positions or straining at least will not help and at worst could produce more pain or health problems.
So get a Physiotherapist or trainer to work with you, or if you are working from books, online guides or DVD's make sure you are following directions to the letter.
Sciatica exercises should not be considered a short term solution.
Although they will relieve your pain in a short period, they need to become part of your lifestyle.
Avoiding any or all of the above exercises will almost guarantee that your sciatica will flare up again.
The main reason is that in rare cases the cause of sciatica could be a tumour or blood clot.
Obviously if one of them is the cause you will need immediate medical treatment to protect you from any life threatening emergency.
However in the vast majority of cases the root cause of sciatica is a less serious spine disorder like:- A Herniated Disc.
The disc which normally provides a cushion between the vertebrae, either ruptures or collapses narrowing the space between the vertebrae and irritating the sciatic nerve Spinal stenosis, where the spinal canal narrows through bone growth, or shrinking of the bones, which is normally the result of ageing.
Again this puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Spondylolisthesis, where one of the spinal vertebrae slips out of position and onto the vertebra below it.
As you may have guessed this also puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Piriformis syndrome.
The Piriformis muscle, which runs through the buttocks, becomes tight and irritates the sciatic nerve.
For each of these diagnoses you can get a specific sciatica exercise plan from a Physiotherapist or sometimes a Chiropractor.
But the exercises recommended will generally include the following:- Stretching.
This normally takes the form of Yoga or Pilates exercises which stretch the muscles in the troubled areas; this releases the tension in those muscles and increases their flexibility.
This in turn relieves the pressure on the sciatic nerve.
The main muscles to concentrate on are the hamstrings, which run down the back of the thigh and the Piriformis which runs through the buttocks.
Tight hamstrings are often both a symptom and cause of sciatica and lower back pain.
Core muscle strengthening.
Improving the strength of the core muscles of the back and abdomen is vital to relieve the pressure on and support the spine.
This will both relieve the pain of sciatica and prevent the condition from recurring.
Once again Yoga and Pilates are ideal for this.
Aerobic exercise.
All muscles perform better if they are regularly used rather than left idle to atrophy.
Aerobic exercise will improve your general health and help reduce weight.
Excessive weight will put increased pressure on the spine and can contribute to sciatica.
For sciatica sufferers it is best to avoid high impact aerobic exercise.
Walking and swimming have been found to have the best results in building resistance to sciatica.
But just wandering around the shops is not much help.
Ideally you need to build up to around 3 miles (5 Kms) per day at a brisk pace.
It almost goes without saying that all exercises should be performed correctly.
Incorrect positions or straining at least will not help and at worst could produce more pain or health problems.
So get a Physiotherapist or trainer to work with you, or if you are working from books, online guides or DVD's make sure you are following directions to the letter.
Sciatica exercises should not be considered a short term solution.
Although they will relieve your pain in a short period, they need to become part of your lifestyle.
Avoiding any or all of the above exercises will almost guarantee that your sciatica will flare up again.
