sciatica

Back pain and sciatica can be debilitating conditions that impact daily life. Maintaining a strong core can help alleviate symptoms and improve overall back health. Here are some of the best core exercises for back pain and sciatica that can help you achieve relief and improvement.

Knee to Chest Stretch This stretch is a great way to target the lower back and relieve sciatica pain. To perform the stretch, start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Slowly bring your knee up towards your chest, hold for a few seconds, and then release. Repeat on the other side.

Bird Dog The bird dog is a great exercise for improving core stability and strengthening the muscles in your back. Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Simultaneously extend your right arm and left leg, hold for a few seconds, and then release. Repeat on the other side.

Cat-Cow Stretch The cat-cow stretch is a gentle exercise that can help improve mobility in the spine and relieve back pain. Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. As you inhale, arch your back and lift your head and tailbone towards the ceiling. As you exhale, round your back and tuck your chin to your chest.

Bridge The bridge is a great exercise for targeting the muscles in your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips up towards the ceiling, hold for a few seconds, and then release.

Plank The plank is a simple but effective exercise for strengthening the core and improving stability. Start by getting into a push-up position, but instead of lowering yourself down, hold the position for a few seconds before releasing.

In order to get the most out of these exercises, it’s important to perform them regularly and with proper form. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to consult with a doctor or physiotherapist before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you have a history of back pain or sciatica.

These core exercises for back pain and sciatica, such as knee to chest stretch, bird dog, cat-cow stretch, bridge, and plank, are a great way to alleviate symptoms and improve overall back health. Incorporating these exercises into your routine can help you achieve relief and improvement.

For more information on how low back pain and sciatica occur, causes of sciatica, or how to treat sciatica, contact us on 03 9034 7735 to see how we can help you, or click to book an appointment online.

Image by Taco Fleur from Pixabay

It’s hard enough to deal with lower back pain and sciatica without having to worry about sleeping. In fact, poor sleep can slow down healing times and make it harder for your muscles to relax–so getting a good night’s sleep is important. This article will cover the best way to sleep with lower back pain and sciatica.

One way to sleep with sciatica is to lie on your side and place a pillow between your knees. Provided your bed has enough support, this acts to take the pressure off your back and lower spine.

If you’re sleeping on your back, try placing a pillow under the curve of your lower back to support it and reduce the pressure that way. For some people however, that may increase the pain and pinch the nerve, so as for any of these positions if your symptoms worsen, don’t try and force through the pain.

A pillow placed under the knees can also help when lying on your back. This will take the pressure off your back and lower spine, and the bending of the knees can help relax the sciatic nerve.

What causes sciatica?

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest single nerve in our body. It starts at the lower part of your spine, runs through an opening in the pelvis, and branches out to each leg. This nerve is responsible for sensation in your legs, feet, and toes – so pain can be felt from the hip to the toes.

Here are some of sciatica causes:

• Disc Bulge/Herniation
• Piriformis Syndrome
• Spinal Stenosis
• Degenerative Disc Disease

Signs and symptoms of sciatica include:

• Pain that radiates from the lower back and buttocks down to one or both legs
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs
• A feeling of “pins and needles” or leg discomfort that occurs when sitting

Once you have identified the cause of your sciatica, you can find the best way to sleep with lower back pain and sciatica. For more information on how low back pain and sciatica occur, causes of sciatica, or how to treat sciatica, contact us on 03 9034 7735 to see how we can help you, or click to book an appointment online.

Lower back pain can interfere with your daily activities, especially if you don’t know what to do to get relief. There are several treatments and back exercises to ease lower back pain and sciatica. Most of these can be done at home, however you should get professional advice for your back pain to exclude serious causes. If you experience a worsening of your symptoms be sure to see you doctor or give us a call. 

The right low back exercise

If you are trying lower back pain exercises for the first time, make sure you monitor your symptoms as you exercise. This is especially important when you experience pain on your leg (sciatica) or one side of the back. Check for a thing known as centralization, which is a decrease in thigh or leg pain, with an increase in lower back pain. If you experience this during an exercise, you are likely on the right track and the exercise probably suits your situation.

In case you experience partial centralization, fail to centralize or the pain worsens with continued exercise, visit the your doctor or call us to seek more advice. In most cases, we can advise new low back exercises while monitoring your symptoms. As you try the new exercises, keep in mind that pain moving closer to the spine is a positive sign.

Don’t start any regular lower back pain and sciatica home treatment without consulting your physiotherapist. Check with the doctor to see if the exercise suits you and is safe. We can help you treat your low back pain by advising on the best exercises for specific conditions.

Exercises for lower back pain and sciatica

If you suffer lower back pain or sciatica, try these exercises and monitor the symptoms. However, consult your physiotherapist first before you start on any of them.

Lumbar flexion

Lumbar flexion is a simple exercise that involves lying on your back with your knees bent and bringing the knees towards your chest in slow motion. Grasp below the knees with your hands to open holes on every side of the spine giving room to your nerves.

Stretch your back with a gentle pull of the knees while holding the position for one or two seconds. Slowly release your stretch and repeat while monitoring changes to your symptoms.

Prone Lying, Press Ups and Prone Props

In cases of sudden acute lower back pain, try some emergency exercises first. Lie flat on your belly for some minutes, then crutch your elbows for few minutes while watching for centralization. After some minutes, do few press-ups while keeping your back and hips relaxed with your arms pressing the upper body up. Press up far enough to restore the regular forward curve in the lower back. Be persistent and go further each time as you repeat at least ten times.

If you notice there is no full centralization with press-ups, consult your physiotherapist before proceeding to other exercises.

Knee to chest

The purpose of this exercise is to reduce nerve compression in the lower back, which helps alleviate low back pain. Start by lying on your back, then with either your left or right knee, use your hands to pull the bent knee close to your chest. Hold for some seconds before repeating with the opposite knee. Next, with your hands, gently pull both knees close to your chest, hold for ten seconds and repeat.

All Fours Opposite Arm and Leg Extensions

This exercise strengthens and stabilizes the low back as well as abdominal muscles. Start by aligning yourself on all fours, then contract abdominal muscles to keep your back straight and flat. Raise your leg behind you while straightening it out and hold for three to five seconds. Repeat with the other leg about ten times, then add arm extension as you alternate your legs. Repeat up to ten times.

Further care

Strengthening your low back is a gradual process so don’t expect it to be cured overnight! Rehabilitation takes time and needs to be spread over several levels.  The Back Exercises to Ease Lower Back Pain and Sciatica described here are the first step to help with short term pain relief.  Give us a call to get advice on developing a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.