Sciatic Pain – Exercises that Help Relieve this Pain
Article by Terry Zeigler
What is sciatic pain?
Sciatica is an inflammatory condition of the sciatic nerve that can be caused by a number of conditions including herniated disc, muscle-related disease, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal foramen), facet joint pathology (small gliding joints on either side of each vertebrae motion segment), or compression of the sciatic nerve between the piriformis muscle (deep external rotator of the hip) (Anderson, M.K., Hall, S.J., & Martin, M., 2005).
While sciatic pain can be caused by a number of conditions, the most common cause of sciatic pain is pain associated with a herniated disc (Bahr, R. & Maehlum, S., 2004). The neurological symptoms (radiating pain down the leg, weakness, numbness, tingling) that are felt by the patient are often related to the compression of the nerve root from the herniation of the disc.
Symptoms
What are the classifications of sciatic pain?
The signs and symptoms of sciatic pain may include radiating pain (pain that radiates down the back of the pelvis and leg following the nerve pathway) with the radiating pain possibly worse than the lower back pain (depending on the cause). The pain may increase when the patient coughs, sneezes, strains, sits or leans forward.
The athlete may also experience numbness and tingling down the leg with associated muscle weakness. To attempt to minimize the discomfort, the athlete may walk with a noticeable limp and with a side tilt.
According to Anderson, M.K., Halls, S., & Martin, M. (2005), there are four classifications of sciatic pain including the following:
* Sciatic pain only: no sensory or muscle weakness* Sciatic pain with soft signs: some sensory changes, mild or no reflex change, normal muscle strength, normal bowel and bladder function* Sciatic pain with hard signs: sensory and reflex changes, and muscle weakness caused by repeated, chronic, or acute condition; normal bowel and bladder function* Sciatic pain with severe signs: sensory and reflex changes, muscle weakness, and altered bladder function
Prevention
What can I do to prevent sciatic pain?
Preventing sciatic pain associated with intervertebral disc injury should begin with focusing on the causes of disc injury and taking steps to prevent those types of injury. Because most disc injuries are caused by a combination of rotation of the spine while the spine is in flexion, prevention needs to focus on correct back mechanics and avoidance of motions that may place the spine at risk for injury.
As stated above, teaching an athlete how to find and maintain a neutral spine is one key to preventing disc injuries. If an athlete can maintain his/her spine in a neutral position during all activities, then the spine will be at a lower risk for injury.
Maintaining core strength is integral in maintaining a healthy back and preventing a number of sports injuries to the back. Core stabilization exercises can be performed by the athlete on their own. The links below provide great examples. Strengthen Your Trunk. Side Bridge-Lats Strengthen Your Trunk. Prone Bridge
Core stabilization exercises can also be performed with the assistance of a therapy ball.
A number of good core exercises can be performed with the aid of a therapy ball including:
* Supine leg lift: athlete balances with his/her upper back on the therapy ball and legs on the floor; athlete alternately lifts the legs off of the floor while keeping pelvis in neutral position. Play Lumbar Exercises Video * Bridging: athlete lies on floor with legs extended and feet on therapy ball; athlete then lifts hips off of floor as buttocks and abdominals are tightened. This exercise can be made more difficult by having athlete alternate leg lifts off of the ball. * Ball lift: athlete lies on back and places therapy ball between feet; athlete lifts ball up off of floor while maintaining hips at 90 degrees of flexion while maintaining tight abdominals. * Prone walk-out: athlete lies on top of ball with legs extended and ball placed at hips; athlete walks forward using arms until the ball is at the shins and then walks back. For an advanced version, the athlete can walk out and then perform a push-up before returning to starting position.
Treatment
When lifting large objects, the object should be held close to the body at the midline. This position reduces the amount of torque placed on the low back and the small muscles of the back.
Last, rather than twisting the spine to turn, the athlete should keep the object at his/her midline and turn his/her feet to change directions. Following these simple rules can significantly reduce the risk of soft tissue injuries to the back.
For more information on treatment including instructional rehab videos on hamstring flexibility, core strength exercises, and stabilization exercises of the spine, please click the following link.
Sciatic Pain Associated with Lumbar Disc Conditions
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About the Author
Combining a love of sports with a passion for the medical field, Terry has spent over twenty years working with college athletes as a Certified Athletic Trainer specializing in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries. Along with working alongside injured athletes, she spends much of her time in the classroom and clinical setting teaching and preparing students for careers as allied health professionals and professionals working in the field of Kinesiology.