Sciatica ~ Causes and Cures from AGH physiotherapy department

Sciatica/Sciatic Nerve Pain

• “Sciatica” refers to a condition in which the person experiences pain, numbness/tingling, and/or weakness in the low back and can spread into one or both legs
• Due to irritation of the sciatic nerve, which travels from the spinal cord all the way down to our toes
• Pain is often worsened with bending forward, twisting, or coughing
• Sciatica has many different causes

Things you can do to help…

• Keep up with your normal day to day activities – moving our bodies is good for sciatic nerve pain!
• Warm or cold packs applied to your low back for comfort, make sure to use a towel between your hot/cold pack so you don’t burn yourself!
• Avoid activities or positions that aggravate the pain
• Regularly change your position, and don’t sit or stand in one position for too long

Exercises to Try

Bridge

1. Start by lying on your back in bed with your knees bent
2. Slowly lift your buttocks up, pushing through your heels as you raise your pelvis toward the ceiling
3. Slowly lower back down to your starting position
4. 

   Bridge exercise for sciatic

    

    

    

Seated Hamstring Stretch

1. Sit on the edge of a chair with 1 foot flat on the floor. Extend the other leg straight out in front of you with the heel on the ground and toes flexed up.
2. Keeping your upper back straight, lean forward in your seat until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of your thigh.
3. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds and then return to starting position.

Figure 4 Stretch

1. Lie on your back in bed. Cross your affected leg over your other leg.
2. Inch your non-affected leg up towards your buttock until you feel a stretch in your affected glute.
3. Hold for 20 seconds, then return to the starting position.