How To Relieve Sciatica When Sitting – If you’ve followed along with us on this journey of all things sciatica, your patience and dedication will be rewarded. In Part 1 of our Sciatica Pain Relief series, we discussed what sciatic nerve pain is and the anatomy associated with it (always my favorite part). In Part 2, we delved into the 5 most common causes of sciatica and touched on some of the red flags we want to rule out as soon as possible. After reviewing these two very informative articles, it’s time to think about what you can do to improve your condition, as well as some of the more common everyday activities that may be the root cause of back pain and sciatica.
For some, sitting may seem like a crazy thing that makes sciatica worse. However, for those who experience it every day, it is very real. Simply put, sitting compresses the muscles in the back of the thigh, possibly putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. Also, sitting puts stress on the entire posterior chain (back, hips, glutes, hamstrings), potentially irritating the sciatic nerve in the spine, hip, or back of the thigh. Many people with sciatica report that they find relief by standing and walking.
How To Relieve Sciatica When Sitting
Traveling is similar to sitting in that you take the squatting and compressive nature of the sciatic nerve and add the cramped, cramped situation of traveling by plane or car. Plus, a hotel bed or worse, your second cousins blowing up the mattress in their spare bedroom doesn’t make it any better.
Can Sciatica Cause Foot And Ankle Pain?
Many patients report that exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and rowing can cause sciatica to worsen. The range of these exercises, the strain on the sciatic nerve, and the repetitive nature of the exercise create the perfect storm for causing a long-term sciatica problem.
While many cases of sciatica require formal care, everyone can benefit from frequent attention through stretching and exercise at home and in the office. Below are some of our favorite “moves” that help relieve sciatica. The truth here is that sciatica relief and recovery takes time, effort and focus. It is not enough to do a stretch once or twice. You may need to perform one of these every hour. You may need to change your workspace. The guidelines here are an aspect of care in our practice, but the responsibility for their implementation rests with the patient. Simply put, the more you focus on care outside of our office, the faster your problem will be resolved.
*NOTE: If any of these stretches increase your symptoms, stop and seek professional help. These exercises are not intended to diagnose a medical condition. Understanding and prescribing these exercises should be done by a trained provider.
We discussed these in Part 2 of our discussion of sciatica. It’s worth getting them checked out, and if you get an unusual or rapid increase in symptoms, professional care and imaging are probably needed.
What Is The Best Sitting Position For Sciatica
Something as simple as stretching your hip can flare up sciatica like Christmas. As we work through rehabilitation exercises and stretches, gradual progression is essential. As with any injury involving peripheral nerves, more stretching is not always better. Stretching over the area of pain or discomfort when dealing with a nerve problem is likely to make the condition worse. Start with the exercises above and take it easy!
Imagine your workplace. Without going through an extensive ergonomic assessment, what can you change to help your sciatica? Can you get up and work? Do you have a water cooler? Can you set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and stretch every hour? This type of lifestyle change is the big part of the game for real sciatica relief. Sciatica is nerve pain from injury or irritation of the sciatic nerve in the buttock area. The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in the body and can cause tremendous pain if not treated properly. The question is: Why do people experience sciatica while sitting?
There are several reasons why this can happen and so we will discuss some of the most common ones in this article below. So let’s start with the most basic questions. Statistics show that about 10% of people with lower back problems suffer from sciatica, which is a serious problem.
Sitting for too long can put a lot of pressure on the gluteal area, which directly contributes to the problem of sciatica. Movement or activity gets the blood flowing and the nerves relaxed. For example, people who have office jobs should try to stand up every few hours to keep the sciatic nerve healthy.
Exercises For Low Back Pain And Sciatica
The big question is how to sit with sciatica? The way you sit during your daily activities has a big effect on your pain levels. The most common cause of worsening nerve pain in most users is sitting in the wrong way.
Although everyone has their own style and position of sitting with sciatica, there are still some things that everyone should avoid when dealing with sciatica.
4.) Don’t move your body in places. Instead, use your chair to move your body as a unit.
There is a long debate about the role of seat cushions against sciatica. While most seat cushions don’t do much to address the problem, there are other alternatives you can pursue.
Sciatica Stretches To Ease And Prevent Nerve Pain
For example, most people ask: is lying down good for sciatica? Well, a brace can help with nerve pain when you hold it at a 45 degree angle. In this way, the boundary pressure is directed to the center of the back and regulates the pressure evenly.
Sitting for long hours can take a toll on your sciatica. This is why you need to make some changes to your sitting style if you suffer from sciatica. For example, some ways to sit with pain are:
A.) It is wise to change your position often. This is because sitting in the same position weakens your core muscles, which can lead to health complications later.
B.) Similarly, sitting in the same position for long hours can cause back pain and other complications. So you should walk after every hour or lie down for a while.
Simple Exercises To Relieve Sciatica Pain
Here are some tips to help you find the right way to sit on the sofa if you suffer from sciatica:
A.) Start by standing your body square to distribute your body weight evenly throughout the body. Keep in mind that you will apply more force on both sides of your body if you bend over for long hours.
B.) Don’t forget to put your back on the support of the sofa so that the sofa can support some of your weight and help you sit more comfortably.
C.) You should lift your feet if they are not touching the ground. This is because hanging your feet for long hours can cause pain. You can also keep your feet on the chair by bending your knees.
Sitting & Low Back Pain
Sitting on an armchair is a little different from a sofa. Follow the tips mentioned below to get a better idea.
A.) Place your body back on a reclining chair and find a place where you can place your lower back and keep it still.
C.) Don’t keep your legs and knees flat when sitting on a sun lounger. Instead, it is better to place your feet on the flat surface of the sofa to get a better position on the chair.
Another common problem that most people with sciatica face is sitting in the car. It’s harder to keep your back in place as the vehicle goes over many bumps, gear changes and more, keeping the body in constant motion.
How To Sit More Comfortably With Sciatica
Does this mean that people with sciatica can’t do anything? Not true, you can always look for a sciatica pillow to make your life easier.
What makes this driving pillow special in the first place is the fact that sufferers of scoliosis and back pain created this product. So they know exactly what you are suffering from. The pillow works best for people with coccyx and reduces back pain as it helps improve posture while driving.
This pillow is also perfect for people who drive for a living or spend long hours in the car. This will not only keep your back healthy but also help prevent knee and joint pain.
Sitting on the toilet requires maintaining balance in a way that does not put pressure on the back in any way. People with sciatica experience pain, especially when getting up from the toilet seat.
Best Sitting Positions With Sciatica You Should Practice
Therefore, you should keep your back straight and push your hips up to get out of the toilet without causing back pain.
Consider keeping your back on a flat surface when doing this
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