Sciatic Nerve Exercises During Pregnancy

Out of many other side effects during pregnancy, a woman can feel pain in the sciatic nerve. Although sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy is not the only time a person can experience it, but for the purpose of our article, we shall stick to its effects on pregnant women. You may know that there are various sciatic nerve exercises which you can perform during pregnancy. But, are you aware of what is the sciatic nerve and how can it bring about issues for some women?

Well, let us make things a bit clear for you. The sciatic nerve in our body is the long nerve which begins from our lower back, goes through the back of our legs, and ends at our feet. Any kind of feeling in the feet and legs muscles is possible due to this nerve. At times, certain causes can make it inflamed. Due to this, some women may experience certain symptoms and pain; ultimately known as sciatica. This occurs because as the uterus is growing, it begins to press against the nerve and/or your pelvic bones are putting pressure over the sciatic nerve.

Although there are various sciatica treatment options, many doctors recommend safe exercises and stretches to relieve the pain. The sciatic nerve stretches during pregnancy that we are going to discuss in the article below, will help you improve your posture, reduce the pressure off the nerve, and make the muscles which support the back stronger.

Workouts for Sciatica Nerve During Pregnancy

Before you perform any of these sciatica nerve exercises, make sure you speak to your physician about the risks and benefits involved. As each person is different (age, stage of pregnancy, medical history), it is highly recommended to get proper medical advice for these sciatica stretches for pregnant women. Once you have got 'two thumbs up' from your doctor, you can proceed to perform these sciatic nerve pain relief exercises during pregnancy.

Rocking of Pelvis
In order to rock your pelvis, you need to get down on the floor and support yourself on your hands and knees. Keep your back straight, parallel to the floor and gently let the stomach droop downwards. Next, you will tighten up your abdominal and buttock muscles while raising the back upwards. This will create an arch in your back. Now slowly, come back to the initial position. In the beginning, do not strain yourself with the stretch. Gradually, you can increase the rocking of pelvis about 200 times throughout the day.

Dromedary Droop
To perform the dromedary droop exercise, place an exercise mat on the floor, place the palms of your hands and your knees on the floor, and keep your back straight. Remember to relax your head and neck throughout the exercise. Next, you will make a hump in your spine. For that, roll the back upward and point it towards the ceiling. As you make a hump (curve in the spine), the abdominal and buttock muscles will become tight. Now bring your head down, towards the floor, relax the muscles in the neck, and hold the position for about a minute. Come back to the starting position. Do this exercise 2 - 4 times a day.

Tilt the Pelvis
In order to tilt the pelvis, we will perform a pelvic tilt. For this exercise, lie flat on the floor and keep your knees bent. Slowly, press the lower back into the ground as you exhale. While inhaling, you will try to relax the spine in this position. You can also do this exercise against a wall once 4 months of pregnancy have passed. Do this exercise as many times as you like throughout the day.

Squats
To do this next exercise, you need to stand straight and keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Point your toes outward at an approximately 45º angle. Now gently, bend from the knees and hips to go down in a squatting position. You can support yourself by holding a chair as well. Keep your back straight and breathe normally. Don't let the knees go ahead of the toes. Hold the position for about a minute and come back to the initial position. Do this exercise as many times as you like throughout the day.

As mentioned earlier, consulting and taking advice from your physician about the sciatic nerve exercises during pregnancy is very important. Although these exercises may seem easy or less complex, how your body adjusts to them may vary. So speak to your physician as soon as possible and rid yourself of the pain.