Simple Siatica Exercises
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If you do regular, simple back exercises, you can most likely stop back pain and siatica and keep your back healthy and strong.There is a variety of exercises that help. Many of these are simple and easy to learn and even if your back already hurts, or is strained, there is a good chance that you can make it better.
Note: If you’re sick, or your back hurts badly and you think you’ve injured yourself, go and see your doctor, or a health practitioner. Also read our disclaimer before you attempt any exercise.
Unfortunately, if you don’t exercise regularly, especially as you age, the muscles supporting and surrounding your back will get weaker and stiffer over time and you’re more likely to suffer back pain and siatica.
Then these muscles won’t be able to work well enough when you most need them to. So when you put a strain on your back, it’s much more likely that your will injure your back.
Your back can get injured from an action as simple as reaching for something on your desk. More frequently it’s from a more obvious strain such as lifting something with a bad posture as you do it.
Back Exercises
Because your spine is so intimately connected with the rest of your body, back specific and general exercises can be the same thing
For example, swimming is a great, general ‘whole-of-body’ exercise, because it combines aerobic and strength aspects, whilst being low impact. You can push yourself as hard as you want with very low probability of injury and minimal stress on your joints.
Back Exercise Basics:
Every bit of exercise counts and every bit you do gives you a benefit. To strengthen your back, get into the habit of doing your back exercises every day.
When I started getting problems in my lower back, I developed a routine including sit ups of various kinds, leg lifts, trunk curls and yoga to build up my stomach and core abdominal muscles that play an important role in supporting the lower back.
The more you exert yourself, the more your body adapts to it.
In some respects your body is like your car. If you use it regularly and look after it, it is likely to be reliable and serve you well. Neglect it for long periods and don’t service it and you’re asking for trouble.
Walking
•Walking is usually great for your back (unless you have serious disk degeneration).
•Walk whenever you can. Walk up hills, walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift. Go for a walk in the mornings before work, go for a walk in the evenings after work.
•Walk as soon as possible after you have hurt your back, even if it hurts a bit. Your goal is to get mobile again as quickly as you can.
•If you work at a desk, help your back by getting up and walking around every 20 minutes or so, even if its just just for 30 seconds or so.
Swimming
•Swimming is a great general exercise that will help your back because it activates, strengthens and loosens many of the surrounding muscles.
More Challenging Back Exercises:
These work on muscles closely associated with your back. Some favourites are as follows:
•Yoga
Popular yoga stretches - The Salute to the Sun, Corpse stretch, Cat stretch, Wind-releasing pose, Sage twist, Palm tree, Fish pose , Locust , Bending forward posture
•Back Stretches
If you work on your stretching steadily, day by day, bit by bit you’ll find yourself able to reach further, you’ll slowly become more supple and find it doesn’t even hurt!
- Hamstring stretch, Lower back stretch, Middle back stretch, Upper back stretch
- Using an Exercise ball - Back arch, Back floor press, Ball squats
Hamstring stretch:
Warning do not do this if you already have back pain. This exercise should be done to loosen your hamstrings when your back is pain free.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
•Pilates
The hundred, Spine stretch forward, The rollup, The saw, Spine twist, Ballerina arms
General Strengthening Exercises:
•Do 5 or 10 Hindu squats. These are great for strengthening your leg and muscles so they support your back better.
•Do 5 push ups when you have a spare moment. (if you can do 25 during the day, that will really make a difference). if you can’t do 5 do 3. (Women generally it easier to do push ups balancing on their knees, rather than their feet. If you don’t want to do a push up lying down do one leaning against a wall at 45 degrees
How Much Exercise Do You Have To Do?
If you want to get fit and strong, the recommended amount is 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week, or 20 minutes of vigorous activity three days per week.
For your back specifically, it’s best if you do some exercises most days.
Here is a selection of exercises that can help you with back pain relief and home treatment of sciatica. Our view is that getting enough of the right type of exercise is one of the key things you can do to stop your sciatica and back pain.
If you want more detailed information on exercises for relieving siatica and back pain relief, we suggest you :
- Register for our free Back Health & Exercise Course or
- Buy the Better Back System which you can try risk free at home (it has a 120 day money back guarantee)
It’s also important for you to understand that everybody has a different physical condition and makeup, so not all exercises have the same effect for all people.
If you think a particular exercise isn’t helping you, or it hurts, then stop doing it and try a different one.
You Probably Don’t Exercise Enough
You probably didn’t want to hear that!
However, as a general rule, most people don’t exercise enough nowadays. This means that many people will experience some discomfort when they attempt new stretches and exercises. This is normal.
The key thing is to be sensible and consistent. Keep on exercising regularly, ideally varying your routine so your body doesn’t get in a comfortable rut and you’ll find you steadily extend your capabilities.
When I first started doing yoga I was stiff as a board and couldn’t even get close to touching my toes in the hamstring stretch (and I was already physically fit from playing competitive soccer). It took me well over a year to get to the point where I could consistently touch and hold my toes.
It’s likely you’ll go through a similar process. Just keep plugging away.
Take Action
Find the right exercises for yourself and make them a part of your daily routine.
The Yoga Salute to the Sun is a simple yet powerful exercise that you can do virtually anywhere - your home, at the gym, in a hotel, at the beach etc. It is just a great all round stretching, strengthening and warm up exercise …
The benefits of yoga are that you can expect your back and body to become stronger and much more flexible, and your mind to become more settled and clear.
The good news is that by doing back exercise in the right way, sufficiently often you can keep your back healthy and strong.
If you don’t exert yourself reasonably regularly, especially as you age, the muscles supporting and surrounding your back will eventually get weak and stiff. Then these muscles won’t be able to work well enough when you most need them to - when you put a strain on your back.
This is a demanding stretch, so if you are in doubt, or too stiff, or your back already hurts, start with one leg at a time or wait until your pain has reduced and/or you feel stronger. Sit on the floor (use a padded mat or a rug, don’t do this on a hard surface) with one leg out in front of you. Tuck the other leg in so that …