Most cases of sciatica pain responds well with specific exercise program. This sciatica exercise has its two main goal and that is lessens sciatic pain and prevents future occurrence. Most physical therapist, spine specialist, chiropractor or physiatrist will generally prescribed specific exercise and instruct you on how to perform the exercise.
For some people, they tend to take a lot of bed rest when they experience sciatica pain but surprisingly exercise is much better for sciatic nerve pain relief than bed rest. Patients may of course rest perhaps for a day or two at most after sciatic nerve pain attacks. With the presence of movement and exercise your back muscles and structures are reconditioned and are capable of supporting your back. Without exercise or movement your back will weaken which will lead to back strain and injury thus will cause additional pain.
Also movement or exercise is good for the health of your spinal discs. It helps bring back the nutrients and keeps the disc hydrated for them to be healthy hence preventing any pressure in the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica exercises for sciatica pain relief program should focus on the following;
Specific Problem or Diagnosis
Exercises for sciatica should be designed to address the reason of your sciatic pain like for example if it is a result from spinal stenosis or lumbar herniated disc. It is important that you do the right exercise because doing the wrong exercise can worsen your situation. That is why it is very important that cause will be rightly identified so that the right exercise program will be designed just for your specific condition.
Core Muscle Strength
Most sciatica exercises to relieve pain will focus in strengthening the back and abdominal muscles so as to provide support to the back. Stretching exercise for sciatica focus in muscle that cause pain when they are inflexible and tight. Engaging in a regular stretching and strengthening program would mean fast recovery from sciatic nerve pain and pain would less likely occur again in the future.
Hamstring Stretch
Irregardless of what causes your sciatica pain, hamstring stretches do bring a lot of benefits to sciatica patients. Hamstrings are actually muscles that you find at the back of your thigh. If this muscle is too tight then it increases the stress on the low back and often worsens thus causing some conditions that leads to sciatica.
Aerobic exercise
In addition to a specific exercise program for sciatica, aerobic exercise may also be recommended for general fitness. Walking for one is a great exercise for the low back since it is low impact and can offer the benefits of an aerobic workout. Three miles of walking everyday at a brisk pace is excellent.
Perform Exercise Correctly
Performing the exercise correctly can be very effective and brings sciatica pain relief but doing it the wrong way can worsen your condition and can result to persistent or increased pain. It is good if you perform your exercise under the supervision of a trained healthcare professional like a chiropractor, physical therapist or physiatrist until the time where you can already perform it on your own.
This sciatica pain relief exercises should be part of your daily regime. Also sciatica patients should not only focus in their exercise routine but patients should try to avoid things that can put too much stress on the lower back. To avoid such stress you can use proper form in lifting observing and keeping a good posture, supports the lower back when sitting and avoid long time standing or sitting. If your work keeps you sitting for a long period of time then make sure that you move and stretch every now and then.
But one important thing to take note, do not try to self-treat your sciatica pain instead consult your doctor so that you get a correct diagnosis and your doctor can prescribe the right exercise program for you that address your sciatic nerve pain.