Sciatica: 3 Exercises for Pain Relief (at home)
A step-by-step recipe for a healthier body
Being the longest and thickest nerve in the body it is not uncommon that the sciatic nerve is often irritated. While it can certainly cause pain on both sides of the body it often is at least worse or focused on one side of the body. So our exercises must address this imbalance.
This is a simple recipe for having healthy hips and low back. It will challenge your body to move in new yet natural ways that will promote normal functioning of the hips and low back. Do not be surprised if it takes a bit of repetition to complete the program.
WHY EXERCISES FOR PAIN RELIEF OF SCIATICA?
Sciatic nerve pain is generally a progressive type of pain that may start small but can slowly spread and increase in intensity as it becomes more provoked.
The most common way to aggravate the sciatic nerve is by movement. Which means if there are movements that cause pain there are also movements that can relieve pain.
So we must chose movements that help us notice and correct the imbalances we may not have been aware of before. Here is the recipe:
3 EXERCISES FOR PAIN RELIEF
After the directions I will go into more details on the specifics of:
Why these movements matter
How they really work
What to do if you notice a difference from left to right with the exercise
The 90-90 Knee Clap
Directions:
Lie on your back with your knees bent at 90 degrees and feet on the wall. (You may use a pillow under the head and neck if you would like)
Keeping the feet flat on the wall from the heel to the forefoot slightly raise the hips off of the ground. You should notice that your middle back presses into the ground slightly. (Try not to elevate the lower back as it will cause excess strain. ONLY RAISE THE HIPS)
Once you have raised the hips move the right knee away from the body just a bit outside of shoulder width. You do not have to go to far. Then bring the knee back in and tap the left. Move the right knee in and out 10 times.
Repeat on the left. Keeping the right leg stationary and moving the left out past the shoulder and back tapping the right knee 10 times.
Knee Clap Towel Pin (Side lying)
Directions:
Lie on your left side placing a towel under your left knee. Keep tension on the towel by pushing the left knee down consistently and pulling with the same hand.
Roll your right hip and knee forward and back 10 times while keeping the left knee down pinning the towel. Only allow the right leg to go as far out as you can keep the towel pinned down. Repeat on the opposite side
Make sure to not just roll the knee forward and back but also the hip. Notice the top hand moving with the hip. Open the hips, close the hips.
The Texas Oil Rig
Directions:
With your hands, knees and toes on the ground, place a lift (bath towel, towel on a book, etc.) under one knee.
Try to keep your legs parallel to each other as you lift the leg that is NOT on the lift. Raise the knee and hip above the lifted leg while keeping the foot down (it is very important to keep the feet down to focus the movement on the hip and back)
Raise and tap the knee up and down 10 times before alternating to the opposite side.
You may rest on your elbows rather than straight arms. Either is fine.
Make sure your legs are either straight up and down or your hips are in front of the knees. DO NOT LET YOUR HIPS MOVE BACK BEHIND THE KNEES toward your heels. If anything try to shift your bodyweight forward away from your feet.
HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO DO THEM?
Perhaps because Christmas is near, but my answer is… ‘the more the merrier’! The real answer is that for your body to make an adaptation it must be done repeatedly until the movements have become second nature.
Begin with 10 repetitions, but once you are able to comfortably do 10, try 20, and 30. Do this simple program 3 days a week for at least month for good results. If you were to continue these for 90 days you might notice massive changes.
It is not uncommon that once patients notice they feel better they stop taking their medicine, and the pain can return.
So while you may get some quick relief with these you’ll need to continue to progressively add more repetitions (20-30-50) to gain the full benefit of these exercises.
Before I go into more detail on these exercises I would invite you to join this weekly newsletter not only to support your favorite internet doctor, but subscribers are encouraged to vote in the comments as to what next months free program will be.
I also have created a full program with many of the same principles you see above called Rebuild Your Low Back: Series 1 which I also strongly recommend for relief of sciatica and sciatic nerve pain. Which you can buy here.
Now, let me explain these exercises a bit more… SUBSCRIBE TO FIND OUT MORE!