You probably have heard someone complain about they’re “sciatica acting up” in your lifetime, but most people don’t realize that true sciatica is not as common as disc hernations or sprain/strains of muscles.
The sciatic nerve starts in the low back with a combination of nerve roots and runs the entire distance of one side of your leg. This nerve impacts sensations (Pain, numbness, etc…), blood supply, and muscles. The most common areas for sciatica irritation are the low back and under the piriformis muscle located underneath the gluteal muscles of each side.
When the sciatic nerve is irritated the patient can experience referral symptoms anywhere along the whole length of the nerve, from the low back to the toes. This is why sciatic pain seems to always be described as a broad stroke covering so much surface area. Those who have suffered from an inflamed sciatic nerve will likely never forget the misery they endured at the time. The idea behind keeping sciatica treatment successful is to focus on making sure it does not get inflamed in the first place. The only true proven method of eliminating inflamed body parts (without injections or medicine) is rest. The problem with this scenario is that once the area is irritated sitting, walking, and extended periods of standing all contribute to slowing the healing process down.
You cannot do rehabilitation when you are in excruciating pain and even if you could force yourself to, the process would be counterproductive. I will give you an outline to focus on keeping your sciatic nerve happy and how to strengthen your body so that the times you decide to overexert your body you won’t be paying for it the next day.
SCIATICA TREATMENT, BROOKLYN CHIROPRACTOR, NY Follow the link and input your insurance information to see if your covered, or call 800.980.9172
Step 1 Flexibility Training
All muscles have a direct affect on the bone it is attached to and can have an indirect affect on the other bones the surrounding the muscle in question. For example, a tight hamstring muscle pulls on the pelvis and directly affects the movement of the hip, but because the pelvis is attached to the low back it will have an indirect affect on the spinal column. This is why it is important to ensure all muscles in the lower extremity are at optimal length of functioning. The main muscles we focus on are: Hamstring, piriformis, hip flexor (psoas, iliopsoas), quadriceps, calf, tensor fascia lata, abductor, and adductor muscles. The majority of people do not have a problem with every single muscle; usually only 2-3 is the main culprit causing the biomechanical dysfunction.
Step 2 Postural Corrections
“Structure dictates function.” This holds true no matter if it’s building a house or addressing your posture. Incorrect posture in the upper body results in extra pressure being placed not only on your neck but also the vertebral bodies in the cervical spine, ultimately leading to pain or even worse, disc herniations. Making sure your shoulders are back and not rounded, your ears line up with your shoulders, and your chin is tucked in are all major points that must be addressed when addressing your posture. Correcting your posture is a technique that takes time to see results but in the end is paramount in prevention and elimination of pain. If you can’t change your biomechanics then you will be doomed to have the same physical problems repeat themselves. For sciatica specifically, you should be aware of how to maintain a posterior pelvic tilt (called imprinting the pelvis in Pilates) and squeeze your pelvic floor (Kegel muscles) to stabilize your low back and decrease the amount of pressure being put on the sciatic nerve. Every body part has a correct position to decrease stress on the bones and muscles in the area, so it is important to learn them all.
Step 3 Strength and Stabilization
The last step in any treatment is to strengthen the stabilizing muscles around the area that has been injured. You have probably already been doing basic postural correction and range of motion exercises already, but his step is building upon this base of knowledge and adding complimentary strength to the muscles that surround the area. If you have sciatica its not enough just to strengthen the piriformis muscle and lumbar stabilizers, you must also increase the strength of the gluteal muscles and the muscles of the lower extremities (hamstring, quadriceps, and calves). Once these muscles become stronger they will shift the stress placed upon the stabilizing muscles and pick up the “slack” whenever the area is overworked (ex. Moving, weight lifting, etc…). The reason this is the last step, or towards the end of treatment is because you cannot strengthen an area if it is causing you immense pain. Even during rehabilitation you walk a thin line between doing to little and not improving your condition and doing too much and hurting yourself.
Step 4 Decrease Stress
Stress levels will affect ALL the problems associated with the human body, whether they are systemic or physical in nature. Decreasing your stress levels and getting enough sleep are often overlooked but is the cornerstone of good healing. If your suffering from sciatica a good massage or warm bath will not only help the pain but also ease your stress. Stress causes low-grade inflammation and new research has shown that low-grade inflammation is the culprit in just about all known disease processes. The best way to decrease stress is to do the activities you enjoy and find relaxing. If playing basketball decreases your stress, this would be an incorrect choice while suffering from sciatica! The more relaxed you are the better you will feel overall; so don’t take stress for granted because it is quite literally a killer!
Conclusion
Sciatica is a condition that involves irritation of a major nerve that runs down your entire leg. Treatment of this condition involves addressing the structural, chemical, and even emotional components of the injury. To learn more about the options for treating SCIATICA BROOKLYN, NY... follow the link to start your journey to complete recovery and the prevention of future symptoms.
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