Sciatic Nerve Pain

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skierxjes
skierxjes Posts: 938 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone else have it? I hate going to the gym and only 15-20 minutes into a workout having the shooting pain in my back and down my leg. Does anyone have any suggestions on workouts that are easy on the lower back but still get the job done? I LOVE using the cross trainer, but that's what tweaked my back today, couldn't even make it a whole 10 minutes because the pain was so much.

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  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    I have two disc herniations in my back and had tremendous sciatic pain down the left side. It's horrible. The only thing you can do is lots of cardio, lots of stretching, and regular chiropractic treatment.
  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
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    I did something to mine a while back doing sprints....biking didn't really bother mine but the best for me was just taking a few days off and it was ready to go! But mine wasn't very serious....so that makes a difference.
  • mariachi
    mariachi Posts: 13 Member
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    try stretching out hamstrings :smile: before working out. I was having similar issue and realized that i was not stretching good. when the hamstring is tight, it can pull on glute muscles which in turn press on sciatic.
  • kiawya
    kiawya Posts: 73
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    My best friend, who lost 130 lbs had the same problem, and severly, the best workout for her was the recumbent bike, and the stability ball, she could do sit ups on the ball without putting pressure on her spine. Good Luck!
  • autumngeer
    autumngeer Posts: 1
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    The best thing to to is to do very slow, long stretching after you run for at least 10 to 20 mins, you also want to eat right after you do it too. When you stretch you pull parts of your muscles and when you eat it fulls them and builds them. You wont have to much pain when you do that so i hope i helped. (oh and DO NOT STRETCH BEFORE YOU RUN.!) It can cause you to pull muscles in all of your body.
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
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    I had it something terrible last year. I eventually found a book called "Pain Free" and did the exercises in the "hips" and "backs" sections faithfully for 3 months before the pain stopped. The exercises are a bit like Yoga, most are not very strenuous. You might have to find out the reason you have sciatic pain first, it can be caused by so many different things. I wasn't sure if I had a herniated disc, or piriformis syndrome, or an elevated hip....probably a bit of all of those things combined. But one thing I know is, it hurt like a mother! The Pain Free book is excellent, but you have to do the exercises daily for about 45 min. You can log the exercises as "mild stretching", it's in the MFP database. I sure hope this helps!
  • Nickstery
    Nickstery Posts: 324 Member
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    I have had this on my left side to where it caused numbness down my left leg. Do lots of stretching! Don't be afraid to ice your back after you are done, heat didn't work for me. Also using a stability ball when you get home to stretch will help the discs to retain their water if it is lost. I too have tight hamstrings that are finally starting to loosen but it is a daily battle.

    Just stick with it, and it should get easier. I've been doing the couch to 5k routine as well.
  • dewgirl321
    dewgirl321 Posts: 296 Member
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    Stretching is the biggest help, especially your psoas muscle. Massage or myofascial release wouldn't be a bad idea either.
  • writtenINthestars
    writtenINthestars Posts: 1,933 Member
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    Lots of stretching (especially hamstrings and glutes), recumbant bike, heat or ice (whichever relieves best), core strengthening exercises using a ball....

    I spent a lot of time and money going to physical therapy for my back and at the end of the day, I just have to take 15 mins to myself to stretch and since making that a priority, I feel so much better and can do my normal workouts.
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
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    Try other exercises, someone mentioned recumbent bike & elliptical might be an option too. The important thing is to keep up the exercise, & modify it however you need to. Water aerobics are good too.

    I don't have issues with sciatica these days, but I've had back surgery 4 times for disc herniations & my ortho always told me to lose weight if I didn't want to have issues anymore. Who knew he was actually right.

    Oh, & don't forget your core strengthening exercises. Ab work will provide more support for your back.
  • luv2run
    luv2run Posts: 54 Member
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    I am struggling with the same thing right now, my back/hip is killing me I dont have really have anything extra to suggest that hasnt already been posted just wanted to say your not alone!! I have a heat pack on my back as I type and that seems to help for a short time, I hope that you will be painfree soon!! It stinks I know!!
  • Nickstery
    Nickstery Posts: 324 Member
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    I also use to take 2 tennis balls and would place them at certain parts underneath of me from my butt up to my shoulders and kind of work them around till I found spots that were touchy and let it just melt those away. It's like having a deep tissue massage.
  • skierxjes
    skierxjes Posts: 938 Member
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    Thanks so much for all of the input!! I rarely stretch :( Guess I better start doing it again. Last summer when my sciatic was at it's worst, I stretched everyday regardless of a workout. I'm not sure if it's sciatia or a herniated disc, I went to the walk in clinic for it twice and the first time they gave me muscle relaxers, which helped, til I ran out and the second time all they said was to lose weight. Not easy to lose weight when you're in pain the whole time you're moving!
  • Nickstery
    Nickstery Posts: 324 Member
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    I went to a back specialist on my issue is that I have a "mountain" size herniation on my disc pressing on my sciatic nerve between my S1 and L5 discs. He said pretty much I'm looking at surgery to correct. Which wasn't what i want at all. I have read horror stories of how it worked at first but now it is worse then ever. So I decided, loosing weight and exercise is the avenue for me. If I become so Impaired that there is nothing else to do, i can always do surgery then. Being 5' 11" and 270lbs doesn't help and discovering I'm not as young as I should be at a ripe 28.

    Getting your life back is what you have to keep in your head. The pain now will go away.. maybe not today or tomorrow, with time it will get better. Today after my last issue from February 2011 till May/June 2011 I can say I am feeling better and started going to the gym again to work on Couch 2 5k.

    Good luck and God Speed!

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