1. More Than a Pain in the Butt
Sciatic nerve pain can manifest in the hips, thighs, buttocks and low back. Exercises designed for sciatic pain can help to varying degrees depending on where the pain is located. Pay close attention to your body, and take it easy if you feel an increase in pain during the exercise. You may need to practice different methods until the pain level decreases to avoid a continued increase in pain levels.
2. Just Do It
Persistence is key in strengthening and pain relieving exercises. Practicing these stretches two or three times a week is simply not enough to make a noticeable difference. If relieving pain is a priority in your life, you must make time for the series of exercises on a regular basis. Twice a day (morning and evening) is a common recommendation. Without regularly following the treatment plan assigned by your doctor or physical therapist, you allow your back muscles to deteriorate and weaken further. This makes the back less able to support regular activities and more likely to incur further injury.
3. Get to the Root of the Problem
Though it is entirely possible to find common exercises online and use them to self-treat minor pain or to encourage muscle strength and skeletal support, be cautious. If you have long-term or moderate to severe pain, see a healthcare professional before designing your own exercise set. A physical therapist can evaluate your range of motion, pain levels and activity limitations to determine the underlying cause of the pain. Though sciatic pain is commonly used to refer to low back and hip pain, it is not always truly associated with the sciatic nerve and even when it is, there are many possible causes; therefore it is not always treated in the same manner.
4. Trunks and Bridges Demystified
Some exercises commonly prescribed for sciatic nerve pain include "lower trunk rotations" and "bridges." If your doctor or physical therapist told you to do any of these exercises, follow these steps for a reminder on the proper method. "Lower trunk rotations" begin by lying on your back with your knees bent. Slowly lean your knees to one side, keeping your mid and upper back flat on the floor. Bring your knees back to center and repeat in the other direction. For "bridges," begin in the same position, and raise the hips up so your weight rests on your feet and shoulders. Lower the hips almost to the floor for a brief pause, and then raise them again. Continue for as many times as you were directed in a set and rest your weight fully on the floor between sets.
5. Stretch It Out
Many of the most common and most helpful exercises for sciatic nerve pain involve some type of stretching because the muscles in the low back, hip and thigh area are typically very tense and stiff; this is frequently a cause of the sciatic pain as the tense muscles press against the sciatic nerve. It is highly important, in doing these stretching exercises, to take it slowly, move only until you feel the gentle pull in the muscle but not a sharp or searing pain, hold it still (don't bounce) and remember to breathe deeply throughout the stretch. This method, combined with the repeats of the full exercise set, allows the muscles to re-learn their natural relaxed state, thereby reducing the tension that causes much of the pain.
