1. Perfect Posture Prevents Pain
Learning how to prevent sciatica begins with proper body posture. Slouching while sitting, crossing your legs, leaning forward with rounded shoulder while walking or lifting from the waist instead of the knees can all compress the sciatic nerve and cause pain. Keep your back tall and straight with your shoulders back at all times. Try to avoid crossing your legs; instead, sit with your feet together and flat on the floor.
2. Strengthen Your Back, Lessen the Strain
Keep your muscles strong, lubricated and flexible through regular exercise, hydration and stretching. Regular gentle exercise such as walking or swimming helps to strengthen muscles and reduces the strain on your back. Stretching exercises, particularly those that focus on the low back, hips and thighs, are particularly important when learning how to avoid sciatica. In about one-third of the population, the sciatic nerve runs directly through the glute muscles, meaning that tight muscles pinch the nerve. Lots of water and proper stretching can help lubricate the muscles and prevent pain.
3. Address the Stress
Stress and tension in your day to day life tends to accumulate in your body, causing back pain and sciatica. Try practicing yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates or other gentle stretching exercises that also promote relaxation and meditation. The occasional quality massage can also help to reduce stress and work the tight, overworked muscle groups which lead to sciatica.
4. Watch Your Weight
One of the leading causes of sciatica is carrying around excess weight. Weight gain can place too much stress on the bones and joints as well as the sciatic nerve. Those who live a sedentary lifestyle and are also overweight are at an even higher risk for developing sciatica, as sitting for long periods of time places unnecessary weight directly on the nerve. Get up, get moving and eat a healthy diet, as a healthy body weight means a healthy back.
5. Little Details That Go a Long Way
If you must sit for long periods of time, get up and walk around for five minutes or so every hour so get your blood flowing and reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve. Additionally, a firm mattress and a chair with firm back support can both help to reduce stress on the sciatic nerve. One of the worst things you can do for your back and feet is wear high-heeled shoes everyday. If you notice a flare-up of sciatica symptoms or have reoccurring problems, it's time to slip into a pair of flats.
