Whole Body Revolution

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sciatica stretch

Pain Relief

The Best Sciatic Nerve Stretch Part 2

Sciatic nerve pain happens when the sciatic nerve, a large, main nerve running from the lumbar spine of the lower back all the way down underneath the gluteus muscles and continuing along the back of the leg, gets pinched.  That usually happens when the piriformis, a small muscle that rotates your leg outward, gets tight.

The sciatic nerve runs underneath the piriformis, like a creek running under a foot bridge.  A tight piriformis muscle cranks down on the sciatic nerve and causes pain to radiate down the back of the leg.

Because we sit so much in cars and at desks, on the sofa in front of the television, while chatting with friends and reading books, most people have tight lateral rotator muscles and weak posterior hip muscles.  The muscles on the front of the hip – hip flexors – on the other hand, are very tight in nearly everyone.  Wait, scratch that.  They’re tight in everyone.

So, I love this stretch because it simultaneously lengthens the front of one hip while opening up the back of the other one.  It’s a little advanced if you have full blown sciatic nerve pain, however, so if you’re in the acute phase of piriformis impingement, try this sciatic nerve stretch instead.

But if your pain is mild or intermittent, this might just be the solution you’re looking for.

 

Pain Relief

The Best Sciatica Stretch to Get Fast Relief for Sciatic Nerve Pain

Sciatic nerve pain is a common problem for many people. Sciatic nerve pain can be defined as pain deep in the posterior hip and running down the back of the leg.  This is caused by an impingement on the sciatic nerve which runs through a group of small but very powerful muscles called the lateral rotators, specifically the piriformis muscle.  Doctors may call it sciatic pain, sciatic nerve pain, sciatica or piriformis syndrome.

The sciatic nerve can be impinged or irritated in two places.  Either it is compressed in the spine due to a bulging disc or other imbalance in the vertebral column or it can be directly restricted by the piriformis, under which the sciatic nerve runs.  In some people, the sciatic nerve innervates (runs through the middle of) the piriformis; you can imagine the impact a tight piriformis muscle would have on that nerve!

In my experience, 9 times out of 10 the pain is coming from tight muscles deep in the posterior hip and can be relieved with some bodywork and gentle stretching.  Use the stretch in this video daily to ease muscle tension and give your sciatic nerve room to breathe.

Also, it’s important to remember to move around a lot during the day, especially if you have the kind of job that keeps you sitting for long periods.  Sitting creates tension in the hips and can cause sciatic nerve pain.  If you must sit for long periods, take frequent breaks.  Even getting up to walk around the office for five minutes every two hours makes an enormous difference and can be just the ticket to avoiding future sciatic nerve pain.