How to alleviate the nagging pain of Sciatica

Sciatica is a very common condition in many adults, between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Sciatica is pain resulting from the irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve, the longest and biggest nerve of the body. The sciatic nerve runs from your lower back to the lower part of your leg and is responsible for the movement of your legs.

Now, there are a couple of reason on how you get sciatica. If you have a herniated disc in your lower back, the protrusion of the disc can jab at the nerves that form the sciatic nerve, and as a result cause an inflammation. You can also get it if you have a condition called lumbar spinal stenosis. That is when there is a narrowing of the spinal canal where the spinal cord is located. The narrowing can also jab at the nerves that form the sciatic nerve. Another way you can get sciatica is from a condition called the piriformis syndrome. I believe this is the most common, but fortunately easiest to treat. This syndrome is usually due to the weakness of piriformis muscle, located in the butt area and very close to the sciatic nerve. If the muscle become weak and tight, it can actually touch the nerve and over time cause pain.

There are exercises that can help treat and lessen the pain associated with sciatica. Now of course there are degrees of sciatica. For some it can get to a point where the pain is so severe that surgery is necessary. If you stretch and strengthen your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, you can eliminate almost all of the pain.

Stretching exercises

Glute Stretch: You're on the ground on all fours. Bring the left leg forward and then collapse left hip to the left side. Keep the upper body flat with arms out front and the right leg completely extended. You should feel a stretch on the left buttocks area. Hold for 20 seconds and switch. Perform 2-3 stretches each side.

Cobra Stretch: Laying on your stomach, bring your upper body up while keeping your lower body on the ground. Good for lower back. Hold for 20 seconds. Perform 2-3 stretches.

Arm Tucks: Another great one for the lower back. You're on all fours. Take left arm and slide it under the right arm and go as far to the right as you can. You will feel the stretch on your back. Hold for 20 seconds and switch. Perform 2-3 stretches each.

Hamstring Stretch: Simply sit down with legs out to the side and lean forward towards one leg. Now, if your hamstring is tight, which I believe is most likely if you have sciatica, take a hand towel and place it over your foot when you stretch. Using the towel, gently pull yourself toward your foot until you feel tension. Hold for 20 seconds, then switch. Perform 2-3 stretches each.


Strength exercises

Hip raises: Laying on your back with knees bent and arms out to the side, lift your hips as far as you can until you form an almost diagonal line with you body. Hold for a second and squeeze your butt, then lower hips as low as you can without it touching the ground. If that's easy, then do one legs at a time, with the free leg straight out and off the ground. Perform 15-20 reps, 2-3 sets.

Planks: Great for strengthening your core. Lay on your stomach, with your forearms on the ground. Lift your body off the ground. The only parts of the body on the ground are your forearms and toes. Start the hold for at least 30 seconds and over time build to 90 seconds.



There are more stretching and strengthening exercises out there, but these are some of the common ones. They do help a great deal. One of my clients has lumbar spinal stenosis with sciatica and after working for a while using these exercises as well as other exercises, he literally has no more sciatica pain. This has to be done on a consistent basis in order for this to work. Otherwise the pain will come back. Also, if you work at a job where you sit a lot, that can contribute to a weak piriformis muscle and if you do not strengthen and stretch your butt muscles, you may get sciatica over time. So, for every hour of sitting, take the last 5-10 minutes and walk around, in order to get those glutes moving.

Hope this works for anyone suffering from sciatica and if you have any questions, you can find me on facebook or email me at shadi@getfitwithshadi.com.