Sciatica Treatment Exercises For Low Back Pain Sufferers
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There are many good sciatica treatment exercises. However, first things first. You must understand what is causing your pain to begin with before taking measures to alleviate it.
Let’s start there.
The anatomy of the lumbar spine is different than any other part of the spine. The vertebrae are larger and absorb more pressure than the neck or the mid back because the lumbar spine connects with the pelvis. Of course, the pelvis is where the legs are attached, which causes great wear and tear on your 5 lumbar vertebrae.
This is especially the case with the disc between the last lumbar segment and the sacrum. The L4/L5 and L5/S1 areas account for most of the disc problems a physician will see in their office.
So, now that you have an understanding of the anatomy, how can you alleviate your bothersome and sometimes debilitating sciatica through exercise?
The answer is multifaceted. First and foremost you must understand the pressures that occur in between the vertebrae at the disc space. These pressures are great with daily movements and become even greater with excess body weight.
So, for starters you should ensure your body weight is in line with a person of your height. There are many good charts available giving you an accurate height to weight relationship.
In addition to proper weight, an exercise regime is also necessary.
If you look at a person from the side, you will notice a hollow in the low back. This is referred to as the lumbar curve. Some are relatively flat, while others are exaggerated.
There are exact angles for this curve, but the rule of thumb is that if the curve is as close to normal as possible, your ear should fall somewhere in the center of the shoulder.
As the plumb line continues down your body, it should fall in the center of the hip and then just in front of the ankle bone. The lumbar curve can affect the thoracic and cervical curves, altering posture as a whole.
To create a strong low back, you must have a strong core. Core strengthening can alter these exaggerated curves. Your core muscles act as a brace to keep you upright and in good posture.
Of all sciatica treatment exercises, I highly recommend you perform a daily core muscle strengthening regime.
While there are many useful techniques out there, I recommend the McKenzie method. Several books are available demonstrating this method. The McKenzie method has shown to have great results at eliminating the pain associated with sciatica.
Watch your weight, exercise the McKenzie way, and become pain free again!
The Sciatica Treatment News Advisory Board
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I am a Chiropractor in Reno, NV and I just wanted to leave you a note to compliment you on your article. Postural evaluation is critical in determining an exercise program to help correct biomechanical dysfunctions which can lead to sciatica, I do it in my office all the time. I also agree with prescribing McKinzie exercises as I have found them to be very beneficial for my patients suffering from sciatica. I additionally utilize spinal manipulation if the sciatica is related to spinal misalignments and abnormal range of motion. Great article.
Hi
Having not had a sciatica attack for 5 years, I was worried in June (this year) when I became aware of numbness in my right foot. From there, the usual descent began. This was a nightmare, as I was working on a dissertation for an MA degree.
Two months later, I could barely walk, but enjoyed pain relief when I sat down. 3 months later, I couldn’t escape the pain up, or down. At the moment, I can sit in a chair pain-free, but can’t walk for more than 5 mins. Also, my right foot is still very numb.
Can I ask if you believe the attack is in it’s last stages? As I have been trapped indoors for a month, now, my sanity is running out! I graduate in late November, and worry I won’t be able to attend the ceremony.
Thank you for your time.
Thanks for your comments Joe. We cannot provide medical advice, but it definitely sounds like you need to see your doctor to make sure that something else isn’t going on. There are many things that can cause sciatica. Whatever is causing yours has worsened rapidly over the last several months. Your symptoms fall into an area that warrants immediate attention of a trained physician. With the severity of your symptoms, your doctor should now be able to determine specifically what is causing the problems.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
Glad we could help:)
I am a chiropractor in Reno Nevada and I just wanted to help you with a small correction. This is a pretty good article, but the lumbar spine does not interact with the pelvis specifically. This interaction takes place between the Sacrum and the Iliac portion of the pelvis, which is also referred to as the SI joints. Hope this info helps.