Sciatica? Any help?

KLJ13
KLJ13 Posts: 32 Member
in Motivation and Support
I was so motivated, lost 15 pounds, and then Sciatica hit. My Dr told me it was because I was walking/running too much. I was only doing 12-15 miles a week. She put me on meds that made me gain back most of the weight and now I am really frustrated and un- motivated. I am trying to ride an exercise bike 15 minutes 3 times a week now, but I can't get the motivation to eat better now. Does anyone else suffer from Sciatic pain, and if so, what do you do for it? I have since stopped the meds, because it hurt with or without so why bother with one that adds weight. Stretches, exercise, food? Any tips would be appreciated. Oh yeah, and if you see my motivation wandering around, will you send it back to me. I miss it!

Replies

  • heatherloveslifting
    heatherloveslifting Posts: 1,428 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1210553-exercising-with-sciatica?hl=sciatica#posts-18932010
  • Saltfae
    Saltfae Posts: 82 Member
    Stretching. Where is the pain? mine was in my butt, causing numbing and burning down my thigh. What helped me was walking, laying on my back and hugging my knee and calf towards the middle of my chest, and icing. Yoga is super helpful too. Any leg back stretching should help.
  • Samby_v1
    Samby_v1 Posts: 202 Member
    Apart from getting physiotherapy I'd say a foam roller and a tennis ball are your best friends. I sometimes suffer from sciatica and have found stretching out the hip flexors and rolling out the piriformis muscle (either with the foam roller or tennis ball) to be of great benefit. There's some good stuff here http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/stretches-and-exercise-sciatic-pain-piriformis-syndrome. If you search 'foam roller' on YouTube there are lots of videos too.

    Good luck with it!
  • tabitha2770
    tabitha2770 Posts: 60 Member
    I do really bad on both sides and it drives me crazy! Some days it literally will buckle my legs. I've tried stretches, but I haven't found anything that helps it so far and it just happens out of the blue sometimes for no reason so I'm interested to hear what others suggest also.

    also... I never had pain until I was pregnant and since that time i have it almost daily and that was four years ago :(
  • 3lilkids
    3lilkids Posts: 90 Member
    Biggest thing you can do is core training. I spent the month of February doing physical therapy due to long term back/sciatica issues. Funny, I always thought I had such great posture, others have said so as well, only to learn I wasn't walking correctly. I also learned it was not just sciatica with me, it was SI and piriformis issues. I was giving in to the pain. Search the net. There are a lot of videos on sciatica relief, core training, stretches, and yoga. Don't give up. I am amazed that once I started to work the core, I became dedicated to exercise again, both cardio and strength, and have a bigger desire to eat right.
  • lsegatti
    lsegatti Posts: 77 Member
    I have had these problems several times over the years and each time a chiropractor was able to get things back in line and no pain! The one stretch that I do is to lay on my back and pull both knees up to chest and and the pull tighter for the count of ten. Reals and do again. The do one leg at a time while pulling your right knee closer to your chest, stretch you left leg straight out and hold. Reverse and do each side. Try this several times a day....when you get up I the morning, after work and before bed etc.

    I can also tell you that riding an exercise bike aggravates this for me, while walking it keeps it loose. Good luck and keep searching for motivation...you can always change your eating even if you cannot move around a lot!
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I'd go to a Sports Medicine doctor/practitioner.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    I lived with sciatica for a year and a half. It was awful!! I finally broke down and went to see a chiropractor who was also a kinesiologist. It was expensive since my insurance didn't cover it, but he helped me so much. It was worth every penny.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 813 Member
    I see a pain management doctor for dry needling. It is sort of like acupuncture, but they only put the needles where there are trigger points, or adhesions, in the connective tissue. This helps loosen the muscles and relieves pressure on the nerve. I also do physical therapy exercises (stretches) to loosen the piriformis muscle, which can play a role in sciatica. My husband had a cortisone shot directly into his piriformis to reduce the inflammation on the nerve, which also helped. The pain management doctor we see is a physiatrist--that's phys-i-a-trist (not psychiatrist, LOL). Physiatrists specialize in pain management and rehabilitation from injuries. I also see a chiropractor who uses an activator instead of doing the "cracking" thing. He applies the activator to the areas where the problems are. Plus he uses laser therapy on the area of the back where the nerve comes from. All of this has been helpful for both my husband and me. Sometimes I have no pain at all from that area. Other times, I have just a little pain. But, it's never unbearable. I go to physical therapy twice a week and exercise at home the other days.
  • evitaevita12
    evitaevita12 Posts: 69 Member
    Everyone is different, but a chiropractic care saved me. I started running about 10 years ago and I did a couple triathlons back then. I developed a sciatica and I was in horrible daily pain. Several doctors told me that a solution is to stop running and take pain meds, do steroid shots, or even consider a surgery. Not running was not an option so I kept looking for a doctor who would understand that this is my passion and I found one, a chiropractic doctor (who was a triathlete himself). It took time to see the change (about a couple months of adjustments), but I was completely cured. I do not know if this would work for you, but I am sharing it in case you would like to try. Best of luck!!! In the meanwhile focus on the things you can still do while you are looking for a solution.
  • TattooTwinset
    TattooTwinset Posts: 271
    I had physical therapy for sciatica in the fall. Two-three visits a week. Very worth it. Made me bend and do certain stretches. But which stretches to do are specific to the pain and it's location for each person.
  • KLJ13
    KLJ13 Posts: 32 Member
    Wow, thanks everyone for such quick replies. It sounds like what I am doing, is what a lot of you recommended. The tennis ball HAS become my new favorite thing. Who would think sitting on a ball would be helpful! :happy:
  • tmaryam
    tmaryam Posts: 289 Member
    This is just a small thing that men might overlook. Do you carry your wallet in your back pocket? If so, stop doing that. It places pressure on your sciatic nerve every time you sit down. I imagine an exercise bike seat could have the same effect if your bike is anything like mine. Good luck, I hope your pain resolves.
  • Lorri1957
    Lorri1957 Posts: 40 Member
    Yes, I'm having the same problems. I had back surgery in 1994 to cut out a disk that was causing me a great deal of sciatica pain. Did great upto a few years ago and now have the pain back again. Last year I lost 43 pounds using MFP and like you was put on meds (steroids) that caused me to gain half of the weight back. Now my knees need to be replaced too so I'm limited to exercise. I have found some chair exercises on YouTube that help a lot. I've lost the weight again doing the chair exercises and diet change. I had to force myself at first but now I'm very motivated. Good luck to you.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    You can also look up stretching exercises on youtube to target sciatic pain.
  • Sueb1420
    Sueb1420 Posts: 19 Member
    They told me I had sciatica for two years. Saw a doctor, two chiropractor’s, a therapists and a personal trainer with no relief. Finally did some research on my own, went back with my findings and within minutes had a new diagnosis of piriformis syndrome. This was treated and I was back on my feet and moving. I also have had to learn how to deal with the flare up I get on occasion but overall I am motivated and moving. It was the third chiropractor that got it right.
  • alpha_andy
    alpha_andy Posts: 160 Member
    I'm in this boat. The root cause for me is a herniated disc. I'm trying to get a surgery done because I can't stand temporary relief. Looking to do minimally invasive discectomy, laminectomy or foraminotomy.
  • mari213
    mari213 Posts: 101 Member
    I'm in the same situation. I have pain on a daily basis.. meds don't help much and I already tryed the Lumbar Epidural Injections. The injections would only relieve the pain for about a week. I have an appointment with a surgeon on Monday and I'm waiting to hear back on another surgeon who requested to get a report of my MRI. I have been thinking about Laser Spine Surgery.. we'll see what these other two doctors say. I just want to get back in the gym with no limitations. I guess I will start working on my core.. that's a good place to start. Good luck to all! Is there a group for Sciatica?
  • Point202
    Point202 Posts: 55 Member
    Just wanted to add that I've dealt with sciatica pain for most of my adult life I always feel best when I do loose some weight. I need to stick to lower impact exercises though. Things such as an elliptical or shorter walks outside. Yoga is great too, as it releases a lot of the lower back tension. I always feel best when I do move and exercise. Also, the type of chair I sit in at work makes a big difference. I need one with some back support, and with light padding to avoid putting too much pressure on it.

    For me the real lifesaver has been seeing a chiropractor that is licensed in trigger point therapy. I am on maintenance of one visit ever 3-4 weeks, and can go in for flair ups as needed.
  • beachgirl172723
    beachgirl172723 Posts: 151 Member
    Bump
  • Sarahnirene
    Sarahnirene Posts: 1 Member
    FitnessBlender video. Not a problem I personally deal with, but I have used this to stretch my lower back. The comments seem to indicate that it really does help with Sciatica Pain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbZzeO4P9YA
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,629 Member
    Yoga helped ...... so did drinking :laugh:

    Feel better soon !
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    I've had chronic sciatica since I was about 17 (I was obese from 12-20) and I'm 31 now. I haven't had a single issue since about February. I attribute not only weight loss but weight training, specifically strengthening my lower back (back extensions, cable rows, bent over rows, deadlifts) to alleviating this issue.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
    Yoga. The stretching and core workouts you get are awesome for sciatica.

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