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Exercises to Relieve Your Sciatica

by: PaulBoxcer
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One important factor I wish to start with here is that if you have been told you have Sciatica, it is not a diagnosis. It is instead a descriptive term stating that you are suffering with pain which is passing down the back of your leg, as a result of the sciatica nerve being aggravated. Consequently, it is impossible to provide you with 'sciatica exercises'. What you need to do, is find some exercises for the cause of your sciatica.

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

Anyway, with regards to exercises for sciatica, as I mentioned above, this would be dictated by the cause of the sciatica, not just the fact that you have sciatica.

Although not exclusive, there are three main causes of sciatica:

1) Disc Prolapse.

Do not let the term 'Disc Prolapse' (or other terminology such as disc herniation, disc bulge, slipped disc etc worry you. A large amount of sciatica is caused by disc problems and they can be quite readily treated. The pain arises due to the disc prolapse pressing upon the nerve roots and subsequently irritating the sciatic nerve to cause pain. The appropriate treatment for this is likely to be extension based exercises, which is the movement of leaning backwards. However, to begin with you would start these exercise by lying on your stomach, maybe with a pillow or two underneath your stomach. You would adopt this position for about 5 - 10 minutes several times per day, let's say every hour or so.

2) Facet Joint Compression.

This tends to occur when the joints of the lumbar vertebrae begin to pinch on the sciatic nerve and irritate it. In this circumstance, the opposite to the above exercise is given, where a more flexion based exercise regime would be indicated. For example lying on your back and gently hugging your knees to your chest or maybe kneeling on all fours and gently sitting back on to your heels. Once again, these should be performed little and often throughout the day and progressed as your pain improves.

3) Tight Muscles.

The Piriformis muscle and the Hamstring muscles both have the sciatic nerve pass either through or underneath them as it travels through the buttock and down the back of the leg respectively. Consequently, the sciatic nerve can be easily aggravated if these muscles are tight and exert increased stress across it. Therefore, the treatment would involve stretching out any tightness present.

Whether it is the Piriformis muscle, the Hamstrings or any other muscle for that matter, it is always essential you start off nice & gently with regards to any stretching exercises. As you progress, you will notice that the stretches get a lot easier. Only then should you consider advancing 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.

With regards to the causes of sciatica, muscle imbalance is right up there at the top. Tight & / or weak muscles place inappropriate loads across the sciatic nerve and these then result in pain.

Therefore, in order to reduce these increased stresses across the sciatic nerve, the muscles concerned need to be stretched and strengthened accordingly. Although I have not covered strengthening exercises within this article, it is possible they will need to form an integral part of any 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 clients with Low Back Pain & Sciatica. Subscribe for his FREE 5 Day 'Cure Your Sciatica' Course and discover how to resolve your sciatica NOW!

Exercises to Relieve Your Sciatica

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