Sciatic back pain.

LBraunle · March 2013

Okay I have a big issue. Of course it's sciatic back pain. I am having such a hard time keeping up with an exercise routine because if I exercise then my back hurts. For instance I started doing C25K a year ago into the 2nd week my back was out for a week. Then I laid off exercising till recently I started the 30 day shred and after 4 days straight I had to quit and apply the heating pad for three days.
How in the world am I going to get fit this way?
Does anyone have the same problem? Any tips or exercises that I they think won't cause my back to hurt.
This is just a mess. I want to exercise but I don't want to be out for days/ weeks because of it.

alychil820 · March 2013

It's from nerve compression, so try taking an anti-inflammatory prior to exercising. Also, the 30DS might be too hard on your nerves and joints, so why not try something low-resistance, like swimming or yoga, combined with some free weights.

zhvah18 · March 2013

My fiance has herniated disks. To painful to exercise, but not bad enough for him to get surgery. The only thing he's found that he can do without killing his back is the elliptical and *some* dumbell exercises. Sorry that you have this pain.

carolemack · March 2013

I also suffer from sciatic pain. The 30 day shred just about shredded me and I had to give it up.

In my experience you have to pace yourself and build up slowly. I make sure I walk at least 2 miles a day, it doesn't have to be fast but it builds up stamina. I have been doing that for over a year. I have just started the C25K program again. I am trying to follow it to the letter, doing it only 3 times a week. I also don't try to be a speedster...matter of fact I am probably the slowest of the slow, I walk at 3 MPH and 'run' at 4 MPH. When I have made my way through the program once then I will do it again and try to up my speed.

For bad days my Doctor has prescribed Naproxen to cut the inflammation. This has helped a lot. When the pain is really bad then I give myself a couple of days rest. I think you need to listen to your body but still push yourself a little bit. Some activity is better than no activity.

Good luck.

concordancia · March 2013

You are choosing the highest impact options available!

Try lower impact:

Dancing
walking
SWIMMING
aqua aerobics
lots of stretching/ yoga (be careful and find poses specifically for backs!)

As you get stronger, you may find that you are able to engage in more high impact activities, but for now, you should always have one foot on the floor.

bsmith404 · March 2013

I have degenerative disc disease and I got to a neurosurgeon tomorrow to see if I have sciatica. I started to train for a half marathon and my back went out on me. MRI came back not good. So doing physical therapy and back stretching classes at the gym. I will start walking, yoga and swimming once the pain goes away. All which I don't want to do. I want to run, lift weights, and take spin class but my health first. So try those: swimming, walking, recumbent bike and yoga.

haanmom · March 2013

I occasionally have sciatic nerve pain. I have found chiropractic care to be very helpful. But, if you see a chiro for pain management, you also need to figure out what is causing the nerve compression and misalignment so that you can fix it, or else it will just keep happening over and over again. I see a chiro who does sports medicine (he was a trainer for an NBA b-ball team for awhile) and he told me my sciatica is related to tight hip flexors and weak glute muscles. I use my lower back for movements when I should be using my butt and hamstring muscles. He was able to give me some strengthening exercise recommendations, and also recommended daily stretching. Now I do yoga 2X/week that includes hip stretching poses, and the core and glute exercises as prescribed and have not had problems.

LBraunle · March 2013

Thanks guys all that is helpful. Yeah I know I was pushing it doing the 30DS but I am really want to get into shape and I was so motivated by all the result pics

I am no sure why I have sciatic pain we did a Xray but of course that didn't show anything. The doctor gave me a choice to go for a MRI but because I have to pay 20% and a 500 co pay I decided to wait on that.

I never thought of taking my prescribe 500mg naproxen before exercising duh.

I suppose I will try walking instead of running and yoga and maybe join the local Y see about the pool and some other exercises. I would like to do some weight though. I'll see what my body says.

Also will losing weight help decrease the pain?

rosclark1967 · March 2013

I can sympathise as I also get pain right down through my buttock, mainly due to a twisted pelvis sometimes when I overdo it!. I think you just need to build up gradually, try something a little less high impact until you are stronger. I exercise every day now and can even do long distance running after many years of not being able to purely down to building up really slowly. It is hard at times early on not to push yourself but believe me having patience really pays off. I've really learnt my lesson over time.

Good luck and don't give up the exercise, just start off gently!

mfpcopine · March 2013

Anti-inflammation drugs may help, although they can be hard on your stomach. Pain management therapy, in which they inject cortisone into your spine can, too, but you will have to have better insurance.

FaerieCae · March 2013

I've had hip dysplasia and all sorts of problems round that area since I got pregnant with my first child. Usually I'd be at the chiropractor every three months to relieve the pain because my muscles around my hips were so 'toxic' with lactic acid. Pretty much constant pain if I left it for too long between visits.

My last chiropractor visit was in December, I started working out doing zumba and vinyasa yoga and I haven't had a lot of trouble since. I know its different to sciatic pain, but once I started the yoga, I noticed a massive difference. Its four months since the last chiro visit, and I'm starting to feel like I need to go again, but its still extended it out a month. Not sure if this will work for you, but it might be worth a try, once your back muscles are able to cope better it might be easier to do cardio/harder work outs..

julielittlefish · March 2013

I have mild scoliosis, so basically I'm just built a little crooked. I have some leg length discrepancy that gets better/worse depending on my muscle mobility. My sciatic will act up occasionally, but what I've done is use a lacrosse ball to help work out the muscles in that area. I lay down on the ground and put the ball under me so it is right under the tender spots and just roll. Hurts like all get out, but I get relief within a few minutes.

I've been lifting heavy for almost a year now, and the longer I've been going/stronger I've been getting, the less frequent I get flare ups.

Good luck.

LBraunle · April 2013

I felt the need to give an update

I am starting belly dancing up again. Haven't done that in about 4 years, but looking back when I was doing that i was more tone than I have been in a long time and also it didn't cause any back pain.

We shall start there and go from there. I don't know what I was thinking doing the 30DS silly me.

mustgetmuscles1 · April 2013

I used to have it bad until I started strength training. Had not had any pain in over a year and then one day it came back after doing some heavy dead lifts. Nothing relieved the pain for a whole week. I started doing a hip mobility work while I was taking a break and trying to heal up and the pain went away over night. Now I do it twice a week.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/warm-up-your-hips-agile-8-a-631289.html

Sciatic back pain.

Replies

Categories