Sciatic nerve pain or sciatica is a very common pain that radiates from the lower back down one or both legs. Most people experience sciatic nerve pain at least once in their life whether it be from sitting still for too long at work, sitting too much in the car on long trips, or from an accident. Since sciatica is a pain that affects several areas of the body, it’s important to be able to stretch multiple areas of the body to prevent or alleviate sciatic nerve pain. Dr. Richard Sayegh, DC from SMART Spine Institute and Surgery Center told us all about the best stretches to relieve these types of pains.
First, you want to stretch your legs in a “figure 4” type of stretch. To do this, keep one leg straight forward with your knee in the air and bend your other leg. Stretch the bent leg over the thigh of the other leg so your legs are in a position that looks like a “4”. Once you’re ready, pull up on your bottom leg to stretch your inner thighs and hips. This is a great stretch as it releases the pain at your thighs. If you need to see how to do this stretch, be sure to search for “Figure 4 Stretch” on google. It also stretches the whole hip, the glutes, the t-band, and the hamstring, too. Another option for this type of stretch is the yoga pose “Pigeon”.
Remember when stretching to never push it too far. Feeling some discomfort is okay but never overdo it. If it hurts, be sure to speak with a physician before continuing to stretch.
As far as time, Dr. Sayegh recommends stretching each side for 5 seconds or more, as more time is always better when it comes to stretching.
If you’ve been injured in an accident or are looking to relieve sciatic pain caused from work or driving, be sure to check out our qualified list of medical professionals who work on a lien basis.
