Your sciatic nerve is one of the largest nerves in the body, running from your spine to the back of your leg. When the nerve becomes pinched due to back injury, a slipped disk or narrowing of the spinal canal, you experience a painful condition known as sciatica. Performing physical therapy exercises on an exercise ball can help to open up the spinal canal and relieve pain.
Rock Back and Forth
This exercise helps to relieve tension in the lower back. Sit on an exercise ball and hold your arms at your sides or place them on your hips. Tilt your pelvis forward, moving the ball slightly. Move the pelvis back to return to your starting position, then transition to arch the back. Return to your neutral position and repeat the back-and-forth motion for 10 repetitions.
Lumbar Stabilization
This exercise strengthens the abdominal muscles and stabilizes the lower back muscles. To begin, place both legs over the exercise ball and lift and straighten the right leg. Now raise your left arm straight up and over your head. Lower your right leg and left arm to reverse the exercise, lifting the left leg and right arm. Continue alternating arms and legs for 15 to 20 repetitions.
Lumbar Plank
This exercise strengthens the lower back and requires good balance to perform. Begin by laying your body over the exercise ball, putting your stomach on the ball. Slowly walk your hands out, moving the ball further down your body. Straighten the legs to continue walking the hands out until the middle of the exercise ball rests on the knees and upper thighs. Your body should make a continuous line. Be careful not to arch your back. For an exercise modification, you can bend the arms at the elbows to perform push-ups in this position.
Bridge
This exercise helps to strengthen and stretch the muscles of the lower and middle back. To begin, lie on your back and lift your legs to place them over the exercise ball. Hold your arms straight out at the shoulders. Tighten the buttocks and lift it off the ground to create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Contract the abdominal muscles to hold this position for five seconds. Lower to return to your starting position and repeat three to five times.
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