Sciatica has existed for thousands of years, and its name comes from ancient Greek. The condition appears when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed. The pain usually begins in the lower back, moves through the buttock, and then travels down one leg.
Most cases improve with rest and time. Even so, sciatica can be complex because many different issues may trigger it. Therefore, you should always speak with a healthcare practitioner before trying any treatment or exercise plan. Proper diagnosis ensures that you avoid movements that could make the pain worse.
Although some stretches and exercises are usually safe, a few exercises can aggravate the condition. It is important to know which movements to avoid.
Sciatica Exercise To Avoid #1: Double Leg Lifts
Exercises that require lifting both legs at once put heavy stress on the core. They may build abdominal and back strength, but they can also irritate the sciatic nerve. If your core is not strong enough, your back muscles will take over. This increases the risk of disc herniation and sharp nerve pain.
Trying double leg lifts before your body is ready can even create pain where none existed. If you cannot lift your legs without your pelvis or torso shifting, your core muscles need more time to develop. It is better to avoid this exercise until your strength improves.
Sciatica Exercise To Avoid #2: Leg Circles
Gentle hamstring stretches may help reduce tension in the leg. However, moving your leg in wide circles can irritate the nerve. This is true whether you perform the exercise standing or lying down. Circular leg movements appear in many Pilates and yoga routines, so it is best to skip them until your symptoms settle.
Sciatica Exercise To Avoid #3: Bent Over Row
This weight lifting exercise is great for strengthening back muscles, which sounds like it would be good for sciatica. But, it’s very easy to do this one with poor form (rounding your back, for instance). This specifically puts you at serious risk for disc herniation, which, in turn, can cause or worsen sciatica. Experts highly recommend that you simply avoid this type of exercise while you are dealing with sciatic or lower back pain.
A Few More “Don’ts”
Sitting for long periods of time. Sitting increases pressure on the sciatic nerve: the more time spent sitting, the more pressure you’ll experience. If your job requires you to work at a desk for hours on end, consider a standing desk or at least a quality chair that promotes good posture.
An inactive lifestyle. Staying active will result in stronger and more flexible muscles in your back and core; this, in turn, will reduce the likelihood of developing herniated discs and other spinal alignment issues that cause sciatic pain. You don’t need to go rock climbing or take up weight lifting. In fact, you probably shouldn’t if you are experiencing sciatic pain. Even simple light exercise or yoga can be an excellent way to help stretch and strengthen back muscles to avoid sciatica related problems.
One excellent option for sciatic pain treatment that can be highly beneficial is massage therapy. Acupressure massage therapy can stretch and loosen tight muscles and tendons to release pressure on the sciatic nerve, improve circulation to reduce inflammation, and help restore balance to the whole body to facilitate quicker healing.
At Easy Cozy Wellness in Nanaimo, BC, our massage therapists are trained and experienced in treating sciatic pain through acupressure massage. Call to book your appointment for acupressure massage today and let the Easy Cozy Wellness team help you on your way to sciatic pain relief.
References
- spineuniverse.com/conditions/sciatica
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/exercises-that-could-worsen-sciatica
- https://chirodenton.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-sciatica