If you suffer from sciatic pain, you might think it's impossible to exercise, but experts think it's possible to relieve your symptoms. The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back through your hips, buttocks, and feet.
According to Spine Health, 10% to 40% of the population suffer from sciatic pain, which is caused by a variety of factors, including aging or a herniated disc. Acute (mild) sciatic pain can be alleviated within four to six weeks without medical intervention, but for some it can become a lifelong condition.
It takes a lot of exercises and styles of training off the table when there is severe nerve pain. There is good news. It is possible to live a pain-free life by learning how to exercise with sciatic pain.
We spoke with experts to learn more about what sciatic nerve pain is, why it happens, and how exercising with it can relieve it.
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"Sciatica refers to pain that runs through the sciatic nerve, from your lower back down to your foot." It's caused by compression, irritation, or damage to the sciatic nerve which is usually caused by a herniated disc in the spine.
Damage to the sciatic nerve can cause serious problems, as it is the nerve that helps your arms and legs move.
Symptoms of shooting pains, numbness, and weakness in your leg can get worse when you stand or walk. She says that there are risk factors such as age related changes, Obesity, and Diabetes. It can happen at any point in life, but men are three times more likely to suffer from this condition, and it usually happens between the ages of 40 and 50.
There are a lot of ways for the irritation to set in, including nerve pinching and genetic abnormality, according to the director of The Fibro Guy. Because of the abundance of room at our nerve roots, sciatic issues are rare.
Many people think that exercise should be avoided entirely because of the effects it has on the sciatic nerve. It is important to distinguish between the types of exercises that can help and those that can hinder in order to speed up recovery.
What exercises are safe to do?
Bed rest has been a popular treatment for sciatic pain for a long time. Keeping relatively active is the best way to go.
There are no benefits to bed rest over staying active when it comes to sciatic pain. There is no difference between advice to stay active and advice for bed rest, and there are potentially harmful effects of bed rest, so it is reasonable to advise people with low back pain and sciatic nerve pain to stay active.
Jodie Breach agrees with her. She says that most people will find gentle movement comforting. If you exercise, you will get some pain, but this doesn't mean it's causing damage. It's important to find the right level of exercise.
Foster says to combine stretching and mobility work. He advises moving slowly and carefully because stretching has an effect on your nervous system. He says that gentle dynamic movement can be beneficial.
Elwell encourages you to work with a therapist who can help you with your exercises. Slow and gentle stretches are recommended. It's important to remain as active as possible with your day-to-day activities.
The principle of a good guiding principle is that pain should be manageable and easy to handle, so if that isn't the case, intensity should be reduced.
There are several helpful exercises for anyone who is struggling with sciatic pain. Running, football, and tennis should be kept to a minimum. These sports can cause sudden and intense strain on your back, which can be bad for your health.
Elwell recommends going to the gym, but jumping, bending forward, twisting, and lifting both your legs together could cause sciatic nerve damage. She says avoiding exercises is a good idea.
Instead, stretches that target the lower back and glutes could be performed on some of the best yoga mats for support. Think knee tochest stretches, reclined pigeon pose, and yoga for back pain.
It is recommended by Elwell and Foster to apply heat or ice pads to relieve pain, improve blood flow, and relax muscles, but if you are struggling with numbness this should not be done. If your pain gets worse, it's a good idea to seek a spine assessment or visit your doctor.
Foster says that heat won't do much for the sciatic nerve. It will give you some relief. The benefits of vibrating therapy include reducing muscle soreness and treating inflammation.
It's important that you look after your back and general health by staying active, managing your weight, and investing in a good quality mattress. Learning how to strengthen your core and improve flexibility could help you protect your back during exercise.
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