6 exercises for sciatic pain
Sciatica nerve pain typically involves an excruciating pain felt in your sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve connects the lower spine to the lower limbs. The primary cause of sciatica nerve pain is due to any rupture in the sciatic nerve. The other reasons may be a spinal canal (spinal stenosis) or an injury to the disc.
The sciatic nerve runs through a small piriformis muscle located in your glute. This muscle and nerve coordination results in smooth hip movement. If the sciatic nerve is compressed, you feel a debilitating pain running from your hips to the legs.
Experts suggest that the best way to relieve sciatic pain is to keep your body flexible. You can do this by special exercise programs for sciatic pain cure. These exercises have two distinct purposes.
- To reduce the sciatic pain and have an immediate effect.
- To provide a conditioning method that prevents further recurrence of the pain.
Exercises for sciatic pain cure
Before you start off with the sciatic pain treatment, it is important for you to know where the problem lies. The pain may stretch from anywhere between the hips, thighs, and legs. However, there must be some point where the pain is excruciating. This is the part that will be reluctant to move and will cause immense pain.
The sciatic pain cure program works on these areas. Experts further suggest that any stretch or exercise that can externally rotate the hip will provide you relief. There are six specific exercises for sciatic pain cure.
Reclining pigeon pose
The reclining pigeon pose is a well-known yoga posture. Its main aim is to work on and relax the hip thereby relieving pain. The pigeon pose stretch has varied versions. The reclining pigeon pose is the first step for sciatic pain cure. This is advised at the beginning of the program and is a starting pose. The beginners begin their exercise with the reclining pigeon pose.
- Lie down on your back and enclose your right leg in a right angle.
- Lock your hands from under the right thigh with a firm grip.
- Then gently lift your right leg and place it on the left knee. Your right ankle should touch your left knee.
- Hold yourself in the position for few seconds and relax.
- Repeat the procedure with the other leg.
This exercise targets the piriformis muscle that causes sciatic nerve pain. The relaxation of the muscle is required for sciatic pain cure.
Sitting pigeon pose
This is a sitting posture exercise that will require you to remain seated. The sitting pigeon pose is the second level of sciatic pain cure program.
- Stay seated on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you.
- Bend your right leg towards you.
- Put your right ankle on top of your left knee.
- Hold yourself in this position.
- Bend your upper body towards your thigh by still holding onto the position.
- Keep yourself in this position for 15 to 20 seconds, then release and relax.
- Repeat the process again with the opposite legs.
This exercise for sciatic pain cure stretches the glute and reduces the pain.
Forward pigeon pose
Try includes the following steps from the forward pigeon pose to achieve sciatic pain cure.
- While kneeling on the floor, pick your right leg in front of your body.
- Rest your lower leg on the ground horizontal to your body.
- Place your right foot in front of your right knee. Your right knee should be on your right side itself.
- Stretch your legs backward on the floor in heels up, toes down posture.
- Shift your body weight from your arms to legs by sitting upright with hands on either side.
- Inhale and exhale with upper body leaning over the front legs. Repeat with the other side.
Knee to opposite shoulder
This exercise loosens the glute and piriformis muscles thereby reducing the pain.
- Lie on your back and pull your right leg bending your knee.
- Clasp your knee with your hands and move left. Hold the posture for 30 seconds.
- Release and return to the reclining position.
- Repeat with the other leg.
Sitting spinal stretch
This stretching exercise is a sciatic pain cure that helps create disc space in the spine to release the sciatic nerve.
- Sit down with your legs stretched and feet flexed upwards.
- Bend your right knee flat over the left knee on the floor.
- Gently turn your hip in the opposite direction with the help of your hands.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds and flip sides.
Standing hamstring stretch
The stretch eases out tightness in the hamstrings to function as a sciatic pain cure.
- Place your right leg on an elevated platform with foot flexed upwards.
- Hold your toes with your hands and bend your upper body.
- Do not put pressure on your hips if it pains.
- Hold for 30 seconds; release, relax and repeat with the other side.