First, let me explain what sciatica is and why you need to be careful. Sciatica presents as a leg pain that usually resembles electric shock-like sensations, tingling, pins and needles or shooting pain.
Sometimes the sciatic nerve may get compressed by the structures in your lower back. The nerve, like any other structure in your body, has a blood supply and needs oxygen for health. When the nerve is compressed, this blood and oxygen supply may get compromised. The nerve becomes unhappy and causes nerve pain, which you experience as shooting pain, pins and needles or tingling down your leg. Stretching or tensing the nerve can further reduce the blood and oxygen to the nerve and worsen your symptoms.
If this sounds familiar to you, you may be suffering from sciatica. Keep watching to learn what movements you should avoid and which exercises you should do instead.
Sciatica – exercises to avoid
Here are some of the exercises that can stretch the nerve and cause tension when you have sciatic pain. These are the ones you need to avoid, particularly in the initial stage of injury.
- Do you get more symptoms or increased pain in the leg moving backwards and get some relief in a bent position? It’s essential you avoid back extension exercises. Deadlifts and bridges are out.
- The opposite effect can occur where your symptoms might increase while bending forward. In these instances, the exercises that you should avoid are:
- bending down completely while standing
- sitting slouched with a leg hanging on the table and your neck down
- hamstring stretch in standing – with complete neck down position
Now you know what to AVOID if you think you have sciatic pain.
Physio CAN help with sciatica
Here’s what you SHOULD do instead. If you are experiencing any nerve pain, it’s important that you get it assessed by a physio as soon as possible. The good news is that with early assessment and management of sciatic pain, your symptoms will improve and your function will return. If that’s you, click on our link to book an appointment to have your nerve pain assessed and you’ll be on your way to being pain-free.
