Sciatica - Exercises to Ease Your Pain

by: PaulBoxcer
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Do not be misled into thinking that you have been given a diagnosis if someone has told you you are suffering with 'sciatica'. The term sciatica is only a descriptive one. If you had pains in your head, I take it you would not be fooled into thinking you were being diagnosed as having a 'headache', yet this is exactly the same as being told you have sciatica i.e. you are suffering with pain down the back of your leg which is a result of the sciatic nerve being irritated. If you are looking for exercise for your sciatica, you need to find the cause of it first.

The sciatic nerve originates from the spinal cord at the bottom of your back and then passes through the buttock region and down the back of the leg. It actually stops being called the sciatic nerve from the back of the knee, as it gives branches at this point to other nerves. However, it is accepted that any pain down the leg to as far as the toes, as long as it is a result sciatic nerve irritation, is referred to as sciatica

However, if we go back to the aim of this article i.e. exercises for sciatica, it is the cause of your sciatica which is all important, not just that you are suffering with sciatica.

Three common causes of sciatica are:

1) Disc Prolapse.

This is not as bad as it may initially seem. This problem arises typically when there are too many flexion based forces across the lower back and therefore the discs of the lumbar spine begin to bulge. This bulge then presses on the sciatic nerve and subsequently pain is often felt. If this is the cause of your sciatic pain, as a rule of thumb, extension based exercises would be the main principle of your treatment. This may involve lying on your stomach, with or without a pillow underneath, little and often throughout the day. You would then increasing the degree of extension as your pain improves.

2) Facet Joint Compression.

At the back of each lumbar vertebrae are the facet joints, these articulate with each other every time our back moves. Unfortunately, they can irritate the sciatica nerve, especially if they begin to pinch on the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve. If this was the case, an exercise programme which is almost the opposite to the one given for a disc prolapse would be given. To begin with this would include exercises such as hugging your knees to your chest while lying on the floor, or sitting back onto your knees while on all fours.

3) Tight Muscles.

Two of the main culprits when it comes to tight muscles would be the Piriformis and Hamstring muscles (although it is not exclusive to these two). The sciatic nerve passes through or underneath the Piriformis muscle as well as through the Hamstrings. Therefore, if either of these muscles are tight, they can aggravate the sciatic nerve which therefore leads to pain.The aim of treatment here would be to stretch out the tight muscles, in order to relieve some of the pressure from the sciatic nerve.

Any stretch for either the Piriformis of Hamstring muscles should be a gentle one to start with. Only when you feel comfortable with it should you think about progressing to more aggressive stretches.

I cannot over emphasise that it is the cause of your sciatica which needs to be addressed with regards to an exercise programme, not just the fact that you have sciatica.

Just to elaborate a little further before I finish, muscle imbalance is without doubt one of the biggest problems with regards to sciatica. This is where either tight or weak muscles combine to place inappropriate stresses across structures, such as the sciatic nerve, which results in pain.

Strengthening exercises have not been discussed within this article However, if there is any weakness present, it is imperative these muscles are provided with a strengthening exercise programme.

About the Author

Paul Boxcer is a BSc (Hons) Physiotherapist with over 10 years experience. Much of this time he has spent treating people with Low Back Pain & Sciatica. Sign up for his FREE 5 Day 'Cure Your Sciatica' Course and discover how to resolve your sciatica NOW!  

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