Exercises to Release Sciatic Nerve Pain

Sciatic Nerve Pain is felt as pain radiating from the lower back to the legs (one or both) depending upon the site and degree of involvement. Sciatica symptoms also include tingling numbness and restriction of movements.

More often than not sciatic nerve pain is seen in middle age to old age individuals due to aging of body tissues. The intervertebral discs debilitate with age and the padding provided to the spine region decreases. The condition is aggravated by lack of exercise, obesity, and strenuous tasks.

Consultation with a physician is mandatory to rule out the other causes of low back pain, which could vary from disk herniation, spinal stenosis, trauma, tumors or spondylolisthesis. Exercise can be considered when the cause of nerve pain is either a degenerative disc or other minor factors. The exercise regimen should strictly be in conjunction with conservative treatment options; and not as a substitute. Regular exercises can help improve the muscle strength and hence support the back effectively during movements.

Exercises to release sciatic nerve pain are as follows:

The exercises to release sciatic pain can be performed at home without any fitness equipments. Most of them constitute muscle-strengthening exercises for the lower back, thighs, hips, abdomen and legs. The following exercises should be performed twice a day starting from 5 repeats per stretching move. Repeat the exercises on alternate sides and increase gradually or as directed by the therapist.

Stretching Program to Release Sciatic Nerve Pain

Good Morning Exercise
Keep a bar with some weight on your shoulders. Bend at the waist with your knees bent a little and the back straight till the trunk is parallel to the ground. Relax in the upright position and repeat.

Hamstring Stretch
Lie on your back and hold on the back of your thigh, lift the knee 90* above the ground and straighten it until it exerts a mild stretch on the back of the thigh. This exercise helps increase the muscle flexibility and reduce the stress on the lower back exerted through the pelvis.

Piriformis Stretch
Lying on your back, cross the right leg over the left knee, grasp the back of the left thigh and pull the knee close to the chest. This stretch helps in the overall flexibility of the pelvic region.

Psoas Stretch
Lying on your back, bend the knee close to the chest and clasp it just below the knee.

Pelvic Stretch
Lying on your back, fold your arms, bend the knees and soles directed to the floor. Without supporting the hands, lift your buttocks off the floor and slowly rest them back.

Hip Stretch
Lying on your back at the edge of the bed, hold your knees to the chest. Keeping one knee in bending position, lower the other knee till a stretch is felt on the hips.

Abdominal Curl Ups
Three types of abdominal curls given below can be practiced separately. Lie on your back with knees bend. Lift up your trunk and try to reach below the knees, try reaching the knees with the elbows, and bending forward with the hands folded behind the head.

Lumbar Extension Stretch
Lie on your abdomen and slowly use your forearms to raise your upper body above the ground, and then lie down again. This back arching is important to help in stabilizing the spine.

Walking, cycling and pool therapy are some of the aerobic exercises that should be incorporated with your back exercise regimen for an overall increase in the quality of life despite the illness. Exercise balls can be a good tool for exercising your back without straining the back or any other joints.

Ergonomic Tips to avoid low back pain
Good Posture
Avoid long term standing
Avoid sit-ups with straight leg
Avoid touching the toes while standing
Avoid lifting heavy weights

To sum it up, the activities and exercises that tend to increase the back pain should be avoided.