Tips for Sciatica Pain Relief

Sciatica pain is experienced by many people, even some celebrities, so you are not alone in figuring out how to get rid of it. Bad sciatica that restricts your ability to walk or sit for any length of time can be frustrating especially if you are finding it hard to get relief. I am familiar with this pain and frustration but I did find a way out so now I am here and pain-free to tell the tale. For this article I want to share with you at least four of the key stretches and exercises that are used for sciatica pain relief.

 CONTENTS

• Stretching the Glutes
• Back Extensions
• Stretch your Calf Muscles
• Stabilizing your Core

 

Stretching the Glutes

No matter what is causing your pain down your leg it is beneficial to start stretching out your buttock muscles to start getting sciatica pain relief. Here is a safe way to stretch your gluteal muscles without injuring your back. This position will keep your back straight while you target those muscles.

Start: Get on your hands and knees with a straight back. Bring one leg in front of the other like you were to rest one foot on your other leg's thigh. Gradually bring your back leg out further behind you to lower yourself down into the stretch. Support your upper torso with your hands to keep your back straight. The leg you are stretching will remain crossed underneath you.  

Back Extensions

Doing this back stretch frequently throughout the day at any stage of sciatica that you are in will encourage your natural lumbar curve and take pressure off your pinched nerve in your back. Over time, people tend to lose their lumbar curve when they are sitting or frequently bending. To reverse the effects of this you can start doing light back extensions and gradually increase to a full extension after a few days or weeks. This is one of the most important stretches for relieving sciatica pain especially if is caused by a bulging disc in your spine. It is important to note that you should never create more pain in your leg when doing any of these stretches.

Start: Lie down on your belly and take your time to relax all the muscles in your back. Take long deep breaths and relax more with each exhale. Now gradually lift up to rest your upper body on your forearms and lift only your torso off the floor keeping your hips on the ground. Transition from resting on your forearms to your hands only when you are ready. This will extend you backwards and stretch your lower spine. Do not increase pain down your leg.  

Stretch Your Calf Muscles

This is a simple stretch of your lower leg that should be done to make sure there is no tightness anywhere in your leg. If one muscle is tight, it is going to effect other muscles. The most effective stretch is the one against a wall. Placing one foot in front of the other and leaning forwards towards the wall. Bending your front knee and keeping your back leg straight will give you a good stretch.  

Stabilizing your Core

When you learn to strengthen your core muscles you will not be doing crunches. Crunches are by far one of the worst exercises you can do for your back. It puts too much stress on the spine so rather than moving your torso up  and down you are going to learn to learn to control your leg movement. You need to stabilize your lower back with core strengthening to control movement, reduce twisting, and more irritation of your sciatic nerve.

Start: Just lie on your back making sure you have a slight natural curve under the low of your back; you want to be able to slip your fingers underneath. Grasp your hips lightly just so you can monitor your hip movement when you are doing the exercise. The most important part of this routine is to make sure you are in total control of your hips in that your hips don't move at all, no matter how slight, don't let it move. Bring both your knees up and keep your feet flat on the floor and engage your deep abdominal muscles to be ready. Now you can simply lift one leg up slowly and down again in a smooth controlled manner. Alternate legs without moving your hips. This exercise is going to help you prevent twisting of your spine and reduce movement when you are walking or bending. Always engage your core stabilizers to make sure you are not irritating your injury more as you go about your day.  

About the Author 
Regina is a blogger focused on sharing her experiences with sciatica and back pain. She offers an online resource for visitors to learn about sciatica pain relief and how to rebuild one's back after injury.