Lunges are suitable for many people who have sciatic nerve issues. They strengthen the muscles that surround the nerve from end to end and stabilize you in order to stave off further nerve irritation or injury. Start performing lunges as a regular exercise until your legs are strong enough to rely on them for bending, too. The pressure you take off your back is worth the effort.
Bending
The way you bend can be traumatic for your sciatic nerve. Any kind of forward bending or sitting where the lower back rounds can cause discs in the lower back to bulge, irritating the nerve, sending shooting pain down your legs or causing permanent nerve damage. This means you have to avoid weighted flexion or resistance exercises that rely on bending to target the legs or back, too. Lunges are an effective replacement for most flexion activities. They allow you to reach items on the ground or low shelves more easily by strengthening the muscles of the thighs, calves and hips.
Pain
Sciatica pain usually radiates or palpates. This can take the form of numbness or tingling that extends as far as the toes, twitching in the calves, or excruciating pain that limits your overall mobility. Lunges lengthen the muscles and create suppleness in the connective tissues of the hips, buttocks, thighs and calves -- all muscles that surround the sciatic nerve. Flexibility can diminish pain by making room for the nerve to move without irritation. As you begin to incorporate lunges into your routines, stop immediately if you feel pain. Lunge less deeply next time. No pain is good pain with sciatica.
Hips
Lunges offer important stabilization through the hips, which could benefit people who have sciatic nerve problems. Tight hip flexors pull your legs forward, which can round the lower spine without you noticing. A rounded lower spine exacerbates sciatica. Strengthening these muscles allows you to correct posture problems that contribute to nerve pain. Correct posture prevents nerve irritation and improves the flow of nerve impulses through the spinal cord and brain.
Form
When you lunge, use correct form. Avoid lunging more deeply than your body can handle. Just practice every day until you gain strength and flexibility. If you feel increased sciatic pain, stop immediately. Stand up straight, with one leg in front of you and one leg behind you. Keep your feet facing forward and your legs anywhere from one to two feet apart, depending on your height. Align the hips, shoulders and ears. Lower your body until your front knee is bent at a right angle. Keep it aligned with your foot. Don't let the knee go past your toes. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions on each side.
