The best exercises to do if you have sciatica

From tomsguide.com

If you’re experiencing sciatica, you may find that exercise can help with your symptoms — these are the best ones to try 

If you're already suffering with sciatica, you'll know that it can affect lots of your body, and cause lots of pain. You may think that sciatica can prevent you from doing lots of the workouts and sports that you enjoy, but exercise is actually quite helpful to alleviate symptoms.

We spoke with Beth Davies, a Personal Trainer and coach to find out more about the link between sciatica and exercise, and how working out can help with sciatica pain symptoms.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica pain is caused by irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of a nerve in the lower back, known as the sciatic nerve. The most common cause is a herniated or slipped disk that causes pressure on the nerve root. There may be some numbness or tingling in the back of the leg and it typically affects just one side. Most people with sciatica get better on their own with time and self-care treatments.

Can exercise help with sciatica?

Whilst it may seem counterintuitive, being sedentary may make sciatica worse. 

Exercises for sciatica can help improve muscle strength. Stronger muscles in the affected area may take weight off the surrounding muscles. Stronger back muscles can also help stabilize the back and promote good flexibility. 

As well as this, exercise helps improve blood flow to muscles and nerves. This helps move fresh blood and nutrients to the area as well as promoting the removal of toxins and inflammation. 

Exercise can also help improve soft tissue and nerve health. A study from 2016 found that targeted exercises for sciatica helped improve markers of nerve health by stimulating the nervous system to improve flexibility and reduce stiffness and sensitivity. 

Which exercises should you avoid? 

Be careful with high-impact exercises such as running or jumping, or very challenging core exercises such as double leg lifts, may make sciatica worse. 

What are the best exercises for sciatica? 

Exercises that can help relieve sciatica include low impact exercises such as walking and gentle strengthening and stretching, but we've found some of the best exercises for sciatica below:

Pelvic tilt 

This is a great exercise for strengthening and stretching the muscles of the core (particularly the deep core) and lower back, which provide support for the rest of the body. 

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet gently on the floor, and extend your arms along the floor with palms facing the floor. Allow the back of your head to touch the floor with a neutral spine (this means maintaining a natural curve with a small gap between your lower back and the mat), and inhale. As you exhale, gently draw in your lower abdominals to tilt your tailbone upwards. This will reduce the space between lower back and the floor. Inhale and return your pelvic back to its original position, before repeating 5-10 times. 

Here's a YouTube video explaining the move. 

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Bridge  

This is a great exercise for strengthening the core and the glutes which help with support and stability. 

Start by lying on your back on the floor, knees bent and feet on the mat. Extend your arms alongside your body with palms facing the floor, and inhale. As you exhale, gently press through the feet and raise the hips — aim for a straight line from shoulders to pelvis (if comfortable). Hold for 8-10 seconds and then lower and repeat. Take care not to lift the hips too high as this may put additional pressure on the lower back, before repeating 5-10 times. 

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Here's more on how to do a glute bridge, and the variations to try. 

(Image credit: Shuttertock)

Cat cow 

This yoga-inspired pose improves movement in the lower back and therefore can help improve spinal flexibility, posture, and balance. On all fours on the mat (hands under shoulders and knees under hips), find a neutral position. There should be a gentle curve in the lower back but no sagging in the hips or shoulders. Inhale and round your back towards the ceiling, holding for a couple of seconds. Exhale and release returning to a neutral position. Inhale to point the tailbone upwards towards the ceiling, hold for a few seconds and then exhale and return to neutral. Repeat 5-10 times. 

Here's more on how to do a cat-cow stretch, and the modifications to try. 

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Lying glute stretch 

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, and bring one ankle up, allowing it to rest on the other knee - this externally rotates the hips and provides a gentle stretch to the glutes. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat the other side. You can also make this stretch more challenging by bringing the foot of the supporting leg off the floor and using your hands to draw that thigh closer to you. Hold and repeat a few times. 

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Knee to chest stretch

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, before bringing one knee to the chest, leaving the other foot on the floor. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and gently release the leg and repeat on the other side. Repeat this three times on each side. 

https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/news/the-best-exercises-to-do-if-you-have-sciatica

Sciatica and high heels: patients can overcome pain with chiropractic care and inserts

From chiroeco.com

For patients dealing with issues from sciatica and high heels, keeping the heel height under two inches can help

As many as 43% of people will develop sciatica at some point in their lifetime. For some, the pain is severe enough to limit their participation in everyday activities, even reducing their quality of life. One recognized trigger of this pain that often extends down the back of the leg is the combination of pain from sciatica and high heels.

While choosing lower-heeled shoes can provide some relief, another option is to combine chiropractic care with inserts, enabling patients to continue to enjoy their favourite pair of heels without instigating sciatic issues.

Sciatica and high heels

Wearing shoes with heels shifts the body’s weight forward. This changes the curvature of the spine, placing more stress on the lower back, and also stretching the hamstring muscles that run down the back of the upper thigh. Both factors can trigger inflammation and irritation of the sciatic nerve, resulting in pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling that often radiates from the lower back to the foot.

Seemingly, the solution for easing this pain is to avoid high-heeled footwear altogether. For some patients, this is an effective option. Others may not be as willing to let go of their favourite heels, even if it means a reduction in sciatic pain. Individuals in the latter group may benefit from a combination protocol of chiropractic care and shoe inserts to combat sciatica and high heels.

Chiropractic for sciatica

Chiropractic helps support sciatic nerve health by restoring proper spinal alignment. If the nerve is pinched or compressed due to spinal misalignment, manipulation can correct this issue. Proper alignment also enables the body to more naturally heal any inflammation or irritation that is provoking sciatic issues.

Research suggests that chiropractic is more effective for resolving this musculoskeletal issue than other treatment remedies. For example, in one study, 60 patients with L5-S1 disc herniation resulting in unilateral lumbosacral radiculopathy were split into two groups. The first group received treatment via neural mobilization techniques. The second group received lumbar manipulation. At six weeks post-treatment, the lumbar manipulation group had greater improvements in leg pain, disability, and nerve root compression. Results were published in the European Journal of Scientific Research.

Another study, this one published in Manual Therapy, indicates that other factors may contribute to patient satisfaction and treatment when seeking chiropractic care for back-related leg pain. Researchers learned that patients valued the quality of their interactions with the health care provider and the sharing of important information, citing that both contributed to their satisfaction levels and made the treatment more worthwhile.

Easing sciatic pain with shoe inserts

Recommending that patients utilize shoe inserts in addition to regular chiropractic can further ease their sciatic pain. Shoe inserts work by helping to correct structural or functional issues that are contributing to spinal misalignment or poor weight distribution.

Research indicates that shoe inserts can be even more beneficial for patients with different leg lengths. In one study, wearing insoles designed to correct leg-length discrepancy by 70% for eight hours per day reduced the intensity of the participants’ sciatic pain. They also reported a reduction in low back pain, improved physical function, and a reduced likelihood that they took sick leave during the following year.

Shoe advice for greater sciatic nerve health

For patients dealing with issues from sciatica and high heels, keeping the heel height under two inches can help. The shoe should also fit properly to prevent the feet from sliding forward, causing the spine to compensate by shifting the body’s weight forward as well.

Limiting the time spent in high-heeled shoes is also beneficial. This could involve wearing flatter heels when traveling to and from work or when running errands, saving the higher heels for during the workday, or wearing them only when attending important meetings.

The type of insole used will vary based on shoe type. A heel that fully encloses the foot would allow for a full-sized insole whereas a lighter insole or an insole under just the pads of the foot would be more appropriate for a heel that leaves more of the foot exposed.

https://www.chiroeco.com/sciatica-and-high-heels/

 

If You Feel This in Your Thighs, Get Your Spine Checked

From bestlifeonline.com

YOUR LEGS COULD BE TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR BACK

Sometimes muscular pain is just that—a strain or injury in the muscle at the site of your discomfort. But experts warn that certain sensations can actually transfer from one part of your body to another. In these cases, the pain you feel in one body part is actually trying to alert you to a problem elsewhere. Experts say this phenomenon often manifests in your thighs. If you notice an uncomfortable feeling there, it may be due to a subtle spinal injury traveling through the nerve network to your legs. Read on to find out which symptoms to watch for, and what to do if it happens to you.

If you feel pain or weakness in your thighs, get your spine checked

Shutterstock

If you experience pain, weakness, tingling, or numbness in your thighs, experts say it could actually be coming from a herniated disk—also called a slipped or ruptured disk—in your lower back. Leg pain originating from this region of the back, known as the lumbar spine, is commonly referred to as sciatica. That's because the sensation travels from the back to the extremities via the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body.

You can have a herniated disk at any age, but most cases occur in people between the ages of 30 and 50. This means that if you experience thigh pain when you enter middle age, there's an increased likelihood that your back is actually to blame.

Herniated disks are more likely to occur in middle age

Geber86 / iStock

A herniated disk is a problem that can develop in the space between the spinal vertebrae. "It occurs when the jelly-like filling in a spinal disk —one of the pads between your vertebrae, or spinal bones—breaks through the disk's outer shell, called the annulus, and bulges through the tear," explains Harvard Health Publishing. "When this happens, the material may press on nearby nerves, which can cause a host of symptoms including inflammation, pain, and numbness." Though symptoms can occur in both sides of the body, they will more often occur in just one.

The Mayo Clinic notes that disk herniation is most frequently the result of disk degeneration—a normal and gradual result of getting older. "As people age, the disks become less flexible and more prone to tearing or rupturing with even a minor strain or twist."

Acute injuries can also cause a disk to become herniated, resulting in sudden pain. "Most people can't pinpoint the cause of their herniated disk. Sometimes, using the back muscles instead of the leg and thigh muscles to lift heavy objects can lead to a herniated disk, as can twisting and turning while lifting. Rarely, a traumatic event such as a fall or a blow to the back is the cause," the Mayo Clinic says.

Where you feel the pain can tell you which part of the spine is affected

Pain from a herniated disk is not necessarily limited to the thighs. Some people will experience pain or related symptoms in the arms, buttocks, calves, or even in the feet.

However, the Mayo Clinic points out that "a herniated disk, which can occur in any part of the spine, most often occurs in the lower back." This is significant because the location of your herniated disk can determine where you feel pain and weakness. "Where in your body you experience these symptoms depends on the location of the herniated disk," says Harvard Health. "For example, if the disk is in your neck, you may feel pain down your shoulder and into your arm. If the disk is lower in your back, it may irritate your sciatic nerve, which can cause pain that radiates through your buttock and down your leg."

Since herniation in the lower back is common, it makes sense that thigh pain frequently signifies a herniated disk.

Very often, the pain will resolve on its own

Shutterstock

Thankfully, there's some good news if you notice signs of sciatic pain or a herniated disk. According to Harvard Health, roughly 90 percent of pain with this underlying cause will resolve without treatment within six months. In the meantime, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain medication to lessen your discomfort. They may also suggest limiting physical activities that seem to aggravate the injury.

If your pain does not notably improve within that time frame, your doctor may also recommend physical therapy. In rare cases, your doctor may discuss surgery, though this is "typically not recommended unless the problem does not respond to therapy, if you are having an increasingly hard time moving, or if your doctor believes the spinal cord is being compressed," says Harvard Health.

If you notice signs of a herniated disk, speak with your doctor to discuss the full range of treatment options available to you.

https://bestlifeonline.com/thighs-spine-herniated-disk-news/ 

What Does It Mean When You Pinch A Nerve?

From thelist.com

Localised pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and other common health complaints are not always a sign of disease. Sometimes, these symptoms may indicate a pinched nerve, explains the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Depending on the severity of your injury, you may also experience a feeling of pins and needles, neck or back pain, or loss of feeling in the affected area. The pain is usually due to inflammation or excessive pressure on the nerve root.

This type of injury occurs when a muscle, tendon, ligament, or other tissue is compressing a nerve. For example, herniated discs and bone spurs may compress the sciatic nerve, causing severe pain in the lower back and down the leg, notes the Mayo Clinic. This condition is called sciatica and tends to affect one side of the body. Similarly, it's possible to have a pinched nerve in your cervical or thoracic area, which can cause pain in the arm, shoulder, chest, or buttocks, according to the experts at Preferred SurgiCenter. Most people recover from this condition, but some may experience permanent damage to the nerve(s), warns NINDS.

What causes a pinched nerve and why is it so painful?

The nerves on your body can be compressed by the surrounding tissues. You then may feel a sharp pain that radiates to nearby muscles, causing weakness, numbness, and tingling. The pain and discomfort often worsen at night, says the Mayo Clinic. As the researchers note, this condition is more common in people who play sports or perform repetitive tasks, such as typing or painting.

Arthritis, obesity, and other disorders can lead to nerve compression, too. For example, excess weight can put pressure on the spine and nerves, which in turn may contribute to sciatica, per Spine Health. Nerve compression may also occur in people with diabetes. Clinical evidence suggests that about 25% of those suffering from this disorder have a pinched nerve in the wrist, per National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Thyroid disease, overuse injuries, and pregnancy can further increase the risk of nerve compression, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Your symptoms may subside without treatment, but there are cases where a pinched nerve can lead to chronic pain and other complications, explains the Cleveland Clinic. Treatment usually consists of hot and cold therapy, rest, light exercise, and pain killers. If the nerve compression is due to an injury, you may need to wear a cervical collar, wrist splints, or back braces. Surgery is only recommended in severe cases where everything else has failed but always consult a doctor before doing any of the above.

https://www.thelist.com/21849/style-errors-age/

Am I Having Sciatica And How Do I Get Relief?

By James Schofield

Several years ago, a patient in my chiropractic office told me she was having pain in her lower back which radiated down the side of her thigh, calf, and foot. She said the pain was excruciating and wondered if she had sciatica and how she might obtain pain relief. This article will discuss the condition known as sciatica and what can be done to obtain pain relief.

Let's begin with the basic anatomy of what is called the sciatic nerve. We all know spinal nerves exit between openings on both sides of the spinal bones. Spinal nerves are found from the area just below the base of the skull all the way down to the tail bone. The lowest five groups of nerves exiting the spine merge together at a point that is found roughly where the midpoint of the rear pocket of a pair of pants is located. That merge point is where the nerve begins. At that location, the nerve is roughly the size of a finger and is the largest nerve in the body. It sends fibres down to innervate various areas of our thigh, calf and foot.

There are various factors that cause irritation and pinching of the sciatic nerve. Some less frequent causes of this extremely painful condition are tumours, an arthritic bone spur, and direct trauma such as a fall directly on the back area or from an improperly positioned injection into the buttock. More commonly, sciatica occurs from a ruptured, herniated, bulging or protruded intervertebral disc of the lower back or from a mis-positioned forward slip of the spinal vertebra which is called spondylolisthesis.

When the sciatic nerve is irritated, we use the term sciatica or sciatic nerve pain. So, while the term sciatic nerve indicates a normal condition, sciatica or sciatic nerve pain indicates an abnormality. This condition is generally, very painful, and many who have experienced it will state that it is the worst pain they've ever experienced.

Fortunately, there is a safe, gentle and effective way to gain nerve pain relief without drugs or invasive surgery. For over 125 years chiropractors have been able to provide sciatic pain relief. Chiropractors use methods of traction, spinal vertebral realignment through gentle chiropractic adjustments and other therapies to help give patients pain relief from this extremely uncomfortable condition.

My patient who I mentioned earlier in the article, was definitely having sciatica. Although it took some weeks of gentle, safe chiropractic care, she did get complete relief of her nerve pain and has remained pain free since.

While this condition can be painful and debilitating, the majority of the time this condition be treated conservatively by a doctor of chiropractic so that patients can gain sciatic nerve pain relief.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Am-I-Having-Sciatica-And-How-Do-I-Get-Relief?&id=10425546 

Sciatica Hurts. But Where Does It Come From and What Can You Do about It?

From belmarrahealth.com

Sciatica causes intense pain in the lower back that can shoot up and down. It can leave you fearful and wary of attempting your favourite activities, let alone your daily tasks.

There are several potential causes of sciatica, and it generally comes from a few particular roots, namely the L4, L5, or S1. Nerves can become compressed or irritated when discs, bones, or ligaments are rubbing against them.

Inflammation in the area can also lead to pain in the surrounding tissue and nerves.

A herniated disc is the most common cause of sciatica. It generally happens in the lower part of the spine and is often referred to as a “slipped disc,” even though no slippage has actually happened.

Your spinal discs are tucked between vertebrae, where they act as cushions to keep bones from touching. These discs absorb all the pressure in the spine from walking, running, sitting, twisting, lifting, and virtually every other activity. 

Herniated discs generally happen when the jelly-like filling in spinal discs breaks through the outer shell and pushes through the tear. It may put pressure on nerves that lead to pain.

Spinal stenosis is another common cause of sciatica.

Your spinal cord and the nerves that run along it are protected by something called the spinal canal. When the spinal canal shrinks and puts pressure on the nerves and spinal cord, it is called spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis is generally caused by disc degeneration, osteoarthritis, or thickened ligaments.

These are two of the most common causes of sciatica, but they are not the only ones. At-home treatments involve things like heat, cold, and stretching routines. Some use acupuncture or chiropractors to treat pain.

There are many medical options, as well, that should be discussed with your doctor.

Author Bio

About eight years ago, Mat Lecompte had an epiphany. He’d been ignoring his health and suddenly realized he needed to do something about it. Since then, through hard work, determination and plenty of education, he has transformed his life. He’s changed his body composition by learning the ins and outs of nutrition, exercise, and fitness and wants to share his knowledge with you. Starting as a journalist over 10 years ago, Mat has not only honed his belief system and approach with practical experience, but he has also worked closely with nutritionists, dieticians, athletes, and fitness professionals. He embraces natural healing methods and believes that diet, exercise and willpower are the foundation of a healthy, happy, and drug-free existence.

https://www.belmarrahealth.com/sciatica-hurts-but-where-does-it-come-from-and-what-can-you-do-about-it/

Not all low back pain is the same

From mayoclinichealthsystem.org

Your back is made up of 30 bones stacked in a column surrounded by muscles and ligaments. It allows you to stand, walk, bend, sit and twist. It connects other parts of your skeleton and supports your spinal cord and nerve roots. Nearly every movement you make involves your back in some manner. This constant movement and support mean that your back is susceptible to strain and stress.

About 80% of adults in the U.S. will experience low back pain at some point. Not all back pain is the same and symptoms can vary widely, ranging from intense, shooting or pinching pain to a dull, ongoing ache.

Occasionally, a person with back pain can pinpoint the exact time it started, like when attempting to lift a heavy object or after a fall. More commonly, no specific trigger or event led to the pain.

Understanding the causes of back pain, along with the symptoms, can help you and your health care team determine the best treatment options for you.

Here are the most common causes of back pain:

Muscle or ligament strain

Strains are usually caused by a single event, such as using poor body mechanics to lift a heavy object. Carrying more weight and certain repetitive motions also can strain muscles and spinal ligaments in your back.

Strains feel like a sudden stabbing, localized pain. This pain worsens when you contract the muscle or twist. Redness, swelling and bruising can occur. The pain can be intense and significantly affect daily activities. Occasionally, people state that they have "thrown out" their backs. In most cases, they have a muscle or ligament strain.

Bulging disk

Disks act as cushions between the bones, or vertebrae, in your spine. The material inside a disk can bulge and press on a nerve.

It is possible and fairly common to have a bulging disk without pain. Pain from a bulging disk usually occurs in the low back and radiates into the hips, buttocks or legs. It is often worse with activity and feels better when resting.

Herniated disk

A herniated disk results when a tear in the tough outer layer of allows some of the inner disk material to protrude outward. Herniated disks also are called ruptured disks or slipped disks, although the whole disk does not rupture or slip.

Many people have no pain from a herniated disk. But compared with a bulging disk, a herniated disk is more likely to cause pain because it protrudes farther and is more likely to irritate nerve roots. Depending on where the herniated disk is, it can result in pain, numbness or weakness in one or both legs. They usually affect only one side of the body.

Sciatica

Sciatica is named after the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body. It most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine or spinal stenosis compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.

Sciatica is a sharp, shooting pain that runs from your low back down the side or back of your leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body. Although the pain associated with sciatica can be severe, most cases resolve with nonoperative treatments in a few weeks.

Arthritis

Low back pain often is caused by osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. Arthritis can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord or nerve roots, a condition called spinal stenosis. It occurs most often in the low back and neck. When this occurs in the low back, the most common symptoms are pain in both legs, tingling, numbness and sometimes muscle weakness. Symptoms are usually brought on by standing for a long time or walking longer distances.

Degenerative disk disease

As you age, the disks between your vertebrae begin to shrink and lose their softer qualities. This narrows the space between the vertebrae and can make your spine less flexible.

Degenerative disk disease does not always cause symptoms. If it does, symptoms vary widely in nature and severity. Generally, pain comes and goes over a long time. It may feel better when you change positions or walk, and worsen when you sit, bend or twist.

Spondylosis

Spondylosis is a general term for age-related wear and tear on the bones in your spine. As disks dehydrate and shrink, bone spurs can develop where your vertebrae meet.

Bone spurs are common. More than 85% of people over 60 are affected by them. Most bone spurs cause no symptoms or pain. You might not know you have bone spurs until revealed on imaging of your spine.

Skeletal irregularities

Back pain can occur if your spine curves abnormally or if the bones are not stacked directly on top of each other (a "slipped" vertebral body). Abnormal curves or slipped vertebral bodies can sometimes contribute to back pain.

When to schedule an appointment

Most low back pain — even when severe — goes away on its own in six to eight weeks with self-care, such as resting from heavy lifting, applying heat or ice, using over-the-counter pain medications and stretching. Physical therapy can provide tremendous relief from back and limb pain, and oftentimes people do not need additional imaging or evaluation with these measures.

Talk with your health care professional if your back pain occurs after a fall or another injury, or you have a history of cancer.

In addition, schedule an appointment if you have any of these back pain symptoms:

• Constant or intense pain, especially at night or when you lie down.
• Spreads down one or both legs.
• Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs.
• Occurs with a fever, swelling or redness on your back.
• Occurs with unintended weight loss.
• Occurs with new bowel or bladder control problems.

Kendall Snyder, M.D., is a neurosurgeon in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/not-all-low-back-pain-is-the-same