Sciatica pain can be debilitating. It’s the type of sharp, stabbing pain that travels from your lower back down your hip and leg. If you are feeling the symptoms of sciatica, you may be tempted to remain lying or seated the whole day. However, movement is one of the best things you can do to ease sciatica pain. Here are at-home exercises you can do for quick pain relief from sciatica.
Piriformis Stretch
Tightness of the piriformis muscle, which is a muscle located deep in the buttocks, can increase pressure on the sciatic nerve and cause pain. Stretching the muscle can help loosen it. To do this, lie on your back, keeping your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor. Then, pull your right knee up to your chest and move it towards the left shoulder. Hold the position for at least five seconds. Repeat with the left knee, pulling it towards the right shoulder. You can do this stretch three times per day.
Back Flexion Stretch
A back flexion stretch involves bending your spine forward. The goal is to relieve tightness in your spinal and abdominal muscles, which can also cause sciatica pain. Just like the piriformis stretch, this is done lying down. To do the back flexion stretch, pull both your knees up to your chest. You should feel the stretch in your mid and lower back. Hold the position for at least five seconds. Repeat at least four times.
Sciatic Nerve Glide Exercise
Nerve gliding exercises encourage the nerves to glide normally during movement and help them relax. The sciatic nerve glide exercise is done by sitting upright on a chair. While seated, place one foot flat on the floor. Next, straighten the other knee. Slowly bend your ankle, keeping your toes pointed towards you. Then, slowly bend your ankle the other way, keeping your toes pointed in the opposite direction. Keep switching your ankle’s position at least 15 times. Repeat the exercise with the other leg. You can do this exercise twice a day.
Before doing any exercise please consult your doctor or physical therapist to ensure you are doing them correctly. If sciatica pain does not improve with at-home exercises, make an appointment with an orthopaedic doctor for sciatica pain treatment. Delaying treatment will likely make symptoms worse and require more extensive treatment.
Sciatica Pain Treatment in Rochester Hills, Bad Axe, and Lapeer, Michigan
Dr. Bradley D. Ahlgren of Ahlgren Spine is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specializing in treating a wide range of spine conditions, including disc problems that cause sciatica. In most cases, sciatica pain can be relieved with nonsurgical treatments. Our advanced pain management procedures have helped improve our patients’ sciatica symptoms. We also create personalized treatment plans for our patients, which include at-home physical therapy exercises for sciatica pain treatment.
To make an appointment with Dr. Ahlgren, call our clinic at (248) 215-8080 or use our easy-to-fill-out online request form. Our friendly staff looks forward to your call.
