The #1 Worst Thing You Can do for Sciatica (and what to do instead)

Mar. 04, 2016

We’ve all heard about it before…

And many of us have even experienced it before…

You’re going about your day, trying to be healthy and active, and all of a sudden you move wrong and end up with pain shooting down the back of your leg.

It happened to me in college (the good old days…).  I bent forward to put on my shoes, and “twange” something in my back moved and I could hardly stand up straight without a searing pain running down my leg.

I was lucky and my pain went away in a few days…but I was also 20.

For most people, you start to think “time heals all wounds.”  But if you’re not so lucky, and most people aren’t, the pain doesn’t go away and in fact gradually worsens.

And the #1 worst thing you can do?  Sitting (especially if you slouch)

Here’s why: in this situation, the pain in your leg (which we call sciatica), is caused by a bulging disc that is putting pressure on a portion of the sciatic nerve.

And when you sit, even though it may feel good for a little while, you actually put more pressure on that disc, pushing it ever closer to the nerve.

Then when you go to stand up…bazinga!!!

Here are 2 more tips for helping with this sciatic pain:

1).  Several times each day, stand tall with her hands on your hips and gently lean backwards.  This may be a bit uncomfortable, but it will gradually push your disc back in the correct direction.

2).  If the pain becomes severe, lay down flat on you back.  Avoid curling up in the fetal position.  Again, even though it may feel good at the time, it’s actually hurting the disc overall.

ANNOUNCEMENT

If you’d like more information on back pain and sciatica, as well as ways you can treat your pain, I’ve created a special event just for you.

This coming Saturday, 3/12/16, we’ll be holding a workshop called “The Best Kept Secrets for Living with LEss Back Pain and Staying Pain Free” here at the clinic.

We’re holding it from 10-11 a.m. here at the clinic.  Due to the available space for a presentation, we’re limiting the event to 20 attendees, and right now we only have 9 spots left.

If you’d like to reserve your seat, just call the clinic at 509.892.5442.

P.S. If you’d like more tips like the ones in this post, click below to download our free report on low back pain: https://physicaltherapyspokane.com/back/