Are you having pain in your lower back that sometimes radiates down your leg, but it comes and goes and you're wondering what on earth is bringing it on? There are definitely activities that exacerbate Sciatic Nerve pain.
Running, biking, and tennis are the most common.
All of these fun sports shorten the muscles surrounding your sciatic nerve.
Just the other day, one of my clients told me that it couldn't possibly be her mad, mad biking that's causing her butt and leg pain because she's been biking for years.
I asked her if she stretched before she got on the bike and she said: "I just jump on and go!" I found a delicate way to let her know that while that may have worked when she was 20 years old, now that she's a full fledged member of the Baby Boomer generation, she has to treat her body better if she wants it to function properly.
Years and years of not stretching have not helped - the pain simply took it's time showing up, sort of like my brother Joe," fashionably late" as he likes to refer to it.
The sciatic nerve is actually three nerve endings at the base of your spinal column, that travel across your buttocks and down the backs of your legs, which means that there are several thick muscles surrounding it.
If these muscles tighten up too much, or too fast (a spasm), you'll be in pain.
The Hamstrings and the Piriformis muscles are the biggest culprits, but don't worry - there's an easy fix.
Most runners know that you need to stretch the hamstrings before running, but the Piriformis can also be a big pain in your butt.
The Piriformis stretches from your hip to your tailbone and when it gets tight it pulls one toward the other - Ouch! Simply stretching all of these muscles both before and after your exercise will keep them healthy and flexible and, most importantly, stop your pain.
Here's an exercise from my "Get Rid Of Sciatica For Good!" Program: Begin seated on the floor, legs extended.
Cross your right leg over the left one so that you're your right foot is near your left thigh (if you can place your right heel next to your left hip, even better), and your knees are stacked on top of each other.
Inhale as you lengthen your spine all the way up through your neck, and then on your exhale, stretch forward over your legs with a flat back, as far as you can comfortably go.
Breathe deeply while stretching so that your muscles, glands and organs get plenty of fresh, oxygenated blood flowing to them.
Continue for 1 - 2 minutes and then release your right leg and repeat with your left.
You should feel a lovely stretch in your hip, butt, lower back and the back of your legs.
If this is painful, skip the leaning forward portion and try to just sit and breathe deeply with your knees stacked.
Best of Health, Kathi
Running, biking, and tennis are the most common.
All of these fun sports shorten the muscles surrounding your sciatic nerve.
Just the other day, one of my clients told me that it couldn't possibly be her mad, mad biking that's causing her butt and leg pain because she's been biking for years.
I asked her if she stretched before she got on the bike and she said: "I just jump on and go!" I found a delicate way to let her know that while that may have worked when she was 20 years old, now that she's a full fledged member of the Baby Boomer generation, she has to treat her body better if she wants it to function properly.
Years and years of not stretching have not helped - the pain simply took it's time showing up, sort of like my brother Joe," fashionably late" as he likes to refer to it.
The sciatic nerve is actually three nerve endings at the base of your spinal column, that travel across your buttocks and down the backs of your legs, which means that there are several thick muscles surrounding it.
If these muscles tighten up too much, or too fast (a spasm), you'll be in pain.
The Hamstrings and the Piriformis muscles are the biggest culprits, but don't worry - there's an easy fix.
Most runners know that you need to stretch the hamstrings before running, but the Piriformis can also be a big pain in your butt.
The Piriformis stretches from your hip to your tailbone and when it gets tight it pulls one toward the other - Ouch! Simply stretching all of these muscles both before and after your exercise will keep them healthy and flexible and, most importantly, stop your pain.
Here's an exercise from my "Get Rid Of Sciatica For Good!" Program: Begin seated on the floor, legs extended.
Cross your right leg over the left one so that you're your right foot is near your left thigh (if you can place your right heel next to your left hip, even better), and your knees are stacked on top of each other.
Inhale as you lengthen your spine all the way up through your neck, and then on your exhale, stretch forward over your legs with a flat back, as far as you can comfortably go.
Breathe deeply while stretching so that your muscles, glands and organs get plenty of fresh, oxygenated blood flowing to them.
Continue for 1 - 2 minutes and then release your right leg and repeat with your left.
You should feel a lovely stretch in your hip, butt, lower back and the back of your legs.
If this is painful, skip the leaning forward portion and try to just sit and breathe deeply with your knees stacked.
Best of Health, Kathi