Exercises for sciatic pain
From Articlemuse
When sciatic pain strikes, you may feel like exercising is the very last thing you want to do. However, if you’re looking for relief, exercises designed specifically to help with this type of pain are important. Sciatic pain is characterized by pain originating in your lower back and spreading down into the back of your leg, sometimes resulting in numbness and difficulty moving. It can restrict normal activity so prompt, appropriate treatment is necessary.
Exercises designed to help with this condition help to strengthen back muscles. By keeping your back healthy and strong, you’ll help to manage and resolve sciatic pain.
While some people suggest that rest is the best way to treat sciatic pain, inactivity can actually aggravate the condition. When your back muscles weaken, your back has even less support and this can result in chronic back pain. Following a proper exercise routine is one of the best ways of ensuring that you develop and maintain a healthy spine.
Stretching is an important component of an exercise program to treat sciatic pain. By making tight muscles more limber and flexible, some of your symptoms will be alleviated. This is especially true for hamstrings. These muscles found in the back of your thigh are commonly affected by sciatic pain. They are needed to bend your knees – a much-needed motion- so proper stretching of these muscles is a must.
You may wish to speak with an exercise expert such as a physiotherapist about exercises designed to help with sciatic pain. Exercising will play an important role in your recovery and will help you return to your routines as soon as possible.
Other recommended Sciatic Exercises include:
The piriformis stretch – sit on a chair and place your left ankle up on top of your right leg. Slowly lean forward. Try to stay in this position for 30 seconds. Switch to the other side.
Ensure you receive a proper diagnosis of your sciatic pain before starting an exercise regimen. If, when doing the exercises, the pain worsens, stop immediately. The last thing you want to do is aggravate your condition or injure yourself.
A physiotherapist will best know what exercises will help your condition. They can often design a routine for you to do at home on your own. Remember to warm up before exercising. .
