Tags: back pain exercises, sciatica exercises

Sciatic nerve pain, also known as a condition called sciatica, is an ailment that when left untreated can become painful and consuming, and really degrade your quality of life.  Sciatica exercises can offer lower back pain relief, but it is important to first understand what causes sciatica.

Basically, sciatica is nerve damage that has been triggered by either stress, or tight muscles pinching the nerve.  Because the sciatic nerve starts in your lower back, and travels down, all the way through the back of your leg and hamstrings, overly tight muscles can create a pinch, which can cause pain.

Most of the time, these overly tight muscles mean that muscles in the surrounding areas are quite weak, and this is determined to be the most common cause of sciatica.  You can combat this, and ease the painful nerve by regular exercise and performing sciatica stretches.

Sciatic nerve damage can also be triggered by job stressors such as truck driving for long periods of time.  The constant bouncing puts stress on the sciatic nerve.  A herniated lumbar disc can also cause sciatica, which then it would be advisable to avoid sciatica stretches without talking to your doctor first, as this could end up harming your sciatic nerve further.

Try one of these simple exercises to help you determine which type of sciatica you may be suffering from.  Sitting upright in a chair, stretch your leg that you are having pain in, straight out.  If your pain increases, most likely true sciatica is to blame, and you have a herniated disc.

Another test that is helpful in determining where your sciatica is originating from, is gently pulling your knee on your sore side, to your shoulder on the same side.  Then gently pull the same knee to the opposite shoulder, and gauge the pain.  If it is significantly more painful pulling to the opposite shoulder, tight muscles are the most likely culprit for your sciatica

2 simple sciatica exercises you can perform to help relieve your pain:

1. The first one you perform the same exercise as listed above under the test exercises, but you do it lying down on your back.  This can help to stretch out overly tight hamstrings.  Be careful though, because if you suffer from a herniated disc than this exercise can worsen it.

2. The second stretch is based on yoga exercises.  Lie flat on your tummy and push up on your elbows, looking up and breathing deeply.  The slight curve this creates in your spine helps to relieve pressure and pain.  But again, be careful, because if your sciatica is caused by a facet syndrome, this can aggravate it.

Also it is good to note that pain may increase for a bit when doing this sciatica stretch, but usually with practice it improves.  Get up and take a break between reps, walk it off.  These sciatica exercises are meant to help you, but always use good judgment and caution when performing them.

One thing to remember is that sciatica can be caused by several factors at once.   Herniated disc’s, facet syndrome which I mentioned briefly before, tight muscles.  Facet syndrome involves rear joints at the base of your spine, and extending your back like the yoga exercise from before  can actually increase your pain and aggravate your symptoms.  In that case it is normally recommended to lie on your back and hug your knees.  However if you are also suffering from a herniated disc, then hugging your knees isn’t recommended.

Truthfully, seeing your doctor before embarking on any sciatica stretches is the safest and smartest route to take.  You can then be referred to a specialist who can show you the proper exercises and stretches you should be attempting.

P.S.Click here to receive our free back pain relief guide, and more back pain relief resources here.

Tags: back pain exercises, sciatica nerve pain

A single malady is like a universal problem in our times. With increasing stress effects in office and outside, back pain seems to surface all over us as a major hindrance in our lives. A usual remedy suggested is low back strengthening exercises. Now exercises are quite a pain by themselves and you must have heard many a story of exercise regimes becoming unbearable. The key requirement is off course patience. Low back strengthening exercises are not magic and works inside a definite time span that can vary from person to person. Back muscle exercises if not planned out can be more harmful than useful.

The lower back is the area most affected in our lives. Lower back pain relief is often gained by resorting to effective exercise schedules. Lower back pain exercise isn’t as simple as it sounds. Now often the complaint that comes from several affected people is that the exercises are often not concentrated on the lower back area and are oriented towards different regions. Now the affected people have to realize that a therapist knows best what to do and what not to do. Low back strengthening exercises can only be effective if there is enough preparation involved. Thus it becomes necessary for him/her to keep in mind the diverse effects of back muscle exercises that might include injuries too. Good exercises for lower back are those that that do not start off by pressurizing the affected area too much.

It is useful to know that the therapist needs to concentrate on several things together when he/she is suggesting low back strengthening exercises. The therapist has to find the appropriate exercise program. He/she has to keep in mind that the exercise is not debilitating to the patient in any significant way. Thus often there might be exercises not directly concerned with the lower back but yet they are significant as they are preparatory means to the end. To start from the lower back itself might often be a dangerous option. Low back strengthening exercises often come after a lot of other ancillary processes have been run.

Lower back pain might be the result of dislocation of spinal muscles. They can also be a result of hernia and the misplacement of discs in the body. In the first place the requirement of the exercise schedule is to try and relocate the spinal muscles. In the second case, similarly the disc has to be shifted back. Now both these changes are time consuming and can only happen over a long period. No wonder patience is a part of the prescription of therapists all over the world. There is no magic cure. So, don’t expect one. Surgery is another way out, but the whole point of resorting to exercises is to avoid operation.

There is again a different objective to strengthening exercises for low back pain relief. You also need to make the spinal muscles strong enough to hold the spine in place and these exercises make way for that. This is off course as necessary as direct exercise meant to repair the muscles because this is what will keep you going in the long run. The stages take time and from feeling better to feeling no pain is a longish run which requires great patience on your part. Pain is a stage and pain is in fact a necessary stage towards relief and cure. The muscles have to be flexed enough and have to be brought under control and this is only possible over long spans of time. So ready to lead a pain free life? Get started with low back strengthening exercises today.

Tags: Back Pain Exercise, Low Back Strengthening Exercises, Lower Back Pain Exercise