Sometimes the pain of sciatica can be so excruciating that it does not even allow you to get out of bed, apart from painkillers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, etc., which can relieve your discomfort in the acute phase of sciatica, Doing Sciatica relief sciatic nerve stretches not only helps to improve your condition after the acute phase of pain has passed, but also Performing these stretching exercises regularly will prevent the recurrence of sciatica or, more accurately, the pain caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve.
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What is a sciatic nerve?
The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in the human body, consisting of the connection of several small nerve roots that protrude from the spinal cord. This nerve starts from the lower part of your spine and passes through the buttocks and back of the thighs and extends downwards and continues to the bottom of the leg and several branches separate from it along its path.
Pain caused by the pressure of the sciatic nerve is commonly known as sciatica.
What are the symptoms of sciatic nerve compression?
Symptoms of sciatic nerve compression include:
- Pain
- This pain is one-sided
- The pain gradually increases
- Sometimes the pain comes on suddenly
- The pain starts in the lower back and covers the back of the buttocks and the back of the thighs and shoots down to the lower leg (these pains are called radicular pain and the whole picture is sometimes described by doctors as radiculopathy).
- The severity of the pain varies from person to person, Sometimes there is a slight pain in the pelvis and back of the thighs, and sometimes in some it is so severe that it deprives them of the ability to perform daily tasks.
- Numbness, numbness and tingling in the nerve pathway
- Weakness of the muscles of the nerve pathway
- Cramps and a feeling of heaviness in the legs
What is the difference between sciatica nerve compression pain and other low back pain?
In many cases, sciatica also spreads below the knee, unlike other low back pain.
What are the risks of failure to treat sciatica?
It is a gradual and irreversible decrease in the strength and power of the muscles of the buttocks, back of the thighs and back of the legs, which will manifest itself with the slimming of the legs.
Chronic and very resistant to treatment pain, is another complication.
How is sciatica treated?
- Rest for at last three days
- Taking anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs and sometimes muscle relaxants
- You need to get back to your daily routine quickly because resting for more than three days will prevent recovery.
- Avoid lifting heavy objects and stopping harmful activities
- Start Sciatica relief sciatic nerve stretches as soon as possible
In the following, we will introduce you to six stretching movements to treat sciatica pain, reduce sciatica pain and prevent recurrence of sciatica pain.
Six stretching exercises to treat sciatica
- Pigeon pose:
This position is one of the most common movements in yoga.
With this movement, the hip and pelvic joints open significantly.
This movement usually begins with reclining pigeon pose and when your body has enough capacity for this movement, it gradually reaches the following positions.
Sitting pigeon pose
And
Forward pigeon pose
First we learn reclining pigeon pose together:
Lie on your back, raise your right leg and bend your knee to form a ninety degree angle, now hold the back of your thigh with both hands and hold the raised leg and lock your fingers together.
Raise the left foot so that the knee is bent, then place the right ankle on the bent knee of the left foot, and try to hold this position for a few seconds.
This movement can stretch a small muscle deep in the pelvis that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve and is associated with relieving inflammation and reducing pressure on the sciatic nerve.
You should repeat these movements by switching your legs.
- Sitting pigeon pose:
Sit on the flat floor and stretch your legs and lie on the floor, now bend your right leg and place your right ankle on the knee of your left foot.
Now bend forward and let the torso and neckline bend forward to the thighs, stay in this position for fifteen to thirty seconds and then repeat the movement on the other leg from the beginning.
With this movement, you stretch the muscles of your buttocks and lower back.
- Forward pigeon pose:
Kneel on the flat floor So that you are on your hands and both feet, Now lift your right foot and move it forward so that the leg is on the ground and is horizontal to your body. Your right ankle should be in front of your left knee (the right knee should remain on the right side).
Now pull your left foot as far back as possible so that your feet and toes are on the ground.
Now gradually bring your weight, which is on your arms, to your feet, so that your legs hold your weight, then place your hands on either side of your body and sit down.
Take a deep breath, as you exhale, bend your upper body or torso forward and hold your weight as far as you can with your arms.
- knee to apposite shoulder:
This is a simple tensile motion as follows:
Lie on your back, legs straight on the floor, now bend your right leg up.
Squeeze your hands around the knee of the raised leg and gently bring it closer to the left shoulder, hold for 30 seconds, then return the knee to its original position and place the foot on the floor.
This movement relaxes the buttock muscles and the small pear-shaped muscle deep in the pelvis, which may put pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Repeat this movement three times and remember to pull the knee towards the shoulder to the point that it is comfortable and without pressure, in fact you should not feel pain during these movements.
- sitting spinal stretch:
Sit on the flat floor and stretch your legs straight on the floor, now bend your right leg up so that the sole of your foot is on the floor.
Lift your right foot and place it on the left side of your left knee so that the sole of your right foot is on the left side of your left knee.
Place the left arm on the right side of the right knee so that you can gently rotate your body to the right. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds.
Do this stretching for the other side as well.
Three times each side
This movement reduces the pressure of the spine on the intervertebral discs and opens the space between the two vertebrae.
- standing hamstring stretch:
Stand and place your right foot on a level above ground level, and below your pelvic joint. Your legs and toes should be straight and forward.
Bend your body slightly to the right leg, bend forward as long as you are not in pain.
Now lift the right foot off the surface and place the sole of the foot on the ground.
If you feel that you need help to lift your leg, you can loop a band or strap on your right thigh and pass it under your left leg. Hold your position for thirty seconds.
Now you can repeat the movement for the other side.
Each side three times.
With this movement, you will stretch the muscles of the back of the leg and you will relieve muscle cramps and pain caused by sciatica.
Final point
Do not think that you can easily do all these movements completely from the first time, it is better to do the movements under the supervision of a doctor and in the presence of a physiotherapist.
Whenever you feel excessive pain, you should stop stretching.
Continuity and repetition in exercise is the main principle of treatment of pain caused by sciatica.