The Worst thing to do if you have backpain from Sciatica

When you have backpain bed rest and taking it easy are not normally the answer, and the reality is back pain can usually be resolved with treatment and exercise.

However… 

Not all exercise is made equal and the above image  is an example, it is often the first thing I tell people to stop doing when they come to the clinic!.

Now the exercise above is not a bad exercise in itself, it is all about timing, many exercises given for backpain are useful for backpain once the actual tissue causing symptoms has recovered, ie what is creating you sciatica has been resolved. I often use a modified version of the above to help particularly if you are not use to doing this type of stretching.

Blindly doing exercises your friend has done and shows you, going to a class or following the internet can make things worse.

I personally would not recommend yoga while you have Sciatica, but later on down the treatment process I might depending on what I think will give the most favourable results. 

In the case of disc compression that can give backpain and sciatic irritation down the leg we need to reduce the pressure, and until then you can see further extension, ie back bending into the lumbar spine would simply create further pressure onto the damaged area, giving you PAIN!. So this exercise may be considered later as part of the rehabilitation plan.

The image below shows a disc bulge that may cause sciatica…

So what would you do?

Firstly get it assessed, find out what is going on, if necessary refer for MRi or further investigations with the Doctor, occasionally surgical intervention is required, however with a diagnosis, good treatment with the right exercise plan we can create a good outcome and overall prognosis.

Once we know what the injury is we can treat to take the pressure of the body with osteopathy, create movement and give exercise to create better function.

Here’s a possible plan;

Assess the injury

Get a diagnosis

Treat the area.

Rehabilitate

Strengthen

Manage

We first reduce mechanical stress, looking at lifestyle involvement.

Improve function and movement with exercise and rehabilitation exercises.

Introduce a plan to prevent further injury, changing habits and looking at how you can strengthen the area to prevent further injury. Then consider intermittent checkups to maintain long term management.

So back to our exercise its about knowing;

What is creating our pain.

Why it is creating our pain.

How can we resolve and prevent.

At this point its good to take up the most suitable exercise, it maybe yoga, pilates, PT sessions or other classes  preferably the one we like and gives us what we need.  🙂

Any questions give us a call!

Keep Active, Keep Moving
Francis