Common Symptoms Of Sciatica
Here are the most common symptoms of sciatica:
Tingling sensation in the legs Backache that radiates down to your knees Numbness and weakness of the lower back, hips, and legs Difficulty in walking, running or moving the leg Difficulty in standing up Hip pain
13 Effective Sciatica Exercises And Stretches
1. Seated Pigeon Pose
3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
2. Reclining Pigeon Pose
2 sets of 5 reps.
3. Knee To Opposite Shoulder
3 sets of 5 reps on each side.
4. Cat And Cow Pose
2 sets of 10 reps.
5. Seated Crossover Hamstring Stretch
3 sets of 10 seconds hold on each side.
6. Seated Spinal Twist
3 sets of 10 seconds hold on each side.
7. Forward Pigeon Pose
3 sets of 10 seconds hold on each side.
8. Shell Stretch
5 sets of 10 seconds hold.
9. Reclined Cow Face Pose
3 sets of 10-20 seconds hold.
10. Supine Butterfly
3 sets of 12 reps.
11. Prone Torso Twist
3 sets of 2 reps on each side.
12. Hip Stretch
3 sets of 5 reps with each leg. Tip: Do not lift your hips so high that your lower abs are lifted off the floor.
13. Scissor Hamstring Stretch
How To Do The Scissor Hamstring Stretch Sets And Reps 3 sets of 5 reps with each leg. These are the 13 best exercises and stretches for sciatica pain. In addition to these workouts, you can try lower back exercises, upper back exercises, plank exercises (including side plank exercises), glute stretches, wall slides, and quadriceps stretches for sciatica pain. You also may consider yoga for back pain; the child’s pose, upward-facing dog pose, downward-facing dog pose, cobra pose, and bird dog exercise may help with back pain associated with sciatica. But how can these exercises help relieve pain? Find out in the following section.
How Do These Sciatica Exercises Help Relieve Pain?
The sciatica exercises target your lower back, glutes, hip flexors, hamstrings, quads, and abs. These are the best exercises for sciatica as they help soothe the sciatic nerve, strengthen your spine, and improve the flexibility of your joints. This, in turn, speeds up the healing process. Doing these exercises will also help improve your mood, and the “feel good” hormones released will help reduce pain perception. Remember, if you have sciatica, you MUST consult a doctor. Apart from these exercises and stretches, there are other ways to treat sciatica. Here’s what you can do.
Other Treatment Options For Sciatica
Acupuncture Chiropractic care Massage Medications Tai Chi Swimming Walking
Many anecdotal studies suggest that practicing some core exercises, McKenzie exercises, posture exercises, spinal mobility exercises, thoracic spine stretches, and shoulder blade squeezes can help with back pain. You may also consider wall angels, deadlifts, pelvic tilt exercises, seated twists, and yoga poses like cat-cow stretch and half pigeon pose for relief. Trying out Pilates for back pain is also a good idea. However, it is advisable to consult your fitness trainer before starting any of these exercises. Beulah, a blogger, shared her personal journey with running, starting at the age of twenty-six and continuing through the years. At sixty-three, facing leg aches and decreased energy, she has shifted to alternating walking and running intervals. She notes, “I had loved running; and physical therapy and daily stretching had cured the sciatica that made me ache (i).” You can opt for any of these along with medicines or go for surgery. But you have to be careful while doing these exercises to prevent aggravating the pain. Here’s a list of what you should take care of while doing these exercises.
Precautions
Be slow and gentle if you are doing these exercises for the first time. Exercise every day. Stay hydrated. Maintain good posture. Take supplements for vitamins D and K after consulting your doctor. Avoid smoking. Take rest and sleep for 7 hours.
How do I get my sciatic nerve to stop hurting fast? You can use heat and ice therapy alternately to quickly relieve sciatic nerve pain. This simple approach is one of the effective home remedies for sciatica. You may also take over-the-counter pain relievers. What happens if sciatica is left untreated? Untreated sciatic nerve damage may make the condition permanent and symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and pain may worsen. How long will sciatica take to heal? Acute sciatica may heal within 6 weeks. Chronic sciatica is a life long condition and can only be managed with treatment. How many times a day should you do sciatica exercises? You can do sciatica exercises 3 to 5 times a day.
Illustration: Best Sciatica Exercises And Stretches To Ease Nerve Pain
Learn 3 safe exercises to help relieve sciatica pain. Tune into this informative video and avail tips on how to reduce discomfort and improve mobility for a more active lifestyle.
