Sciatica and Yoga

Sciatica is felt from the back, at the end of the buttocks to the leg or what is called the sciatic nerve.  Numbness and tingling are usually felt in the sacrum. 

A person experiencing sciatica feels more pain in the lower leg or foot and the posterior thigh than the lower back.

There are lots of treatments given to back pains but the most common includes exercise sciatica yoga, medication and change in lifestyle.  Sciatica yoga is one of the mild exercises that can strengthen the back muscles and skeletal system. Yoga positions for sciatica and leg exercises also help in preventing and controlling the re-occurrence of injuries that can result to some chronic back ailment.  The yoga postures for sciatica will also help in fast recovery and prevention of these.  Yoga stretches also improve posture, can tone back muscles and make it more flexible.

There are lots of free sciatica yoga poses that can be learned and practiced.  People find relief with their chosen yoga postures for sciatica especially when practiced on a regular basis.  Every person is unique so it is better to search for the best program for each individual.  It is recommended that one checks with a doctor before starting the yoga positions for sciatica.  Since the pressure on the nerves is the main culprit of sciatica pain, stretching the gluteal muscles, the I.T. band and the piriformis is very helpful.  Increasing the rotation of hip of the person and pelvis widening are also some benefits of the yoga poses for sciatica.   If a person is experiencing low back pain, opening the hips should be done when doing the yoga positions for sciatica. 

Sciatica is not a muscular ache so massaging would not work on it, and it could even cause more injury. It is a nerve pain which could get worse if one is not moving at all or if one is exerting too much effort like lifting heavy things to and fro. Pain killers sometimes help but if a person has allergies, it would not be advantageous for them.  This is why people often turn towards yoga for sciatica for relief.  Practicing yoga poses for sciatica involves lots of patience and it consistency.   One has to be very conscious when doing the yoga positions for sciatica to keep the muscles engaged. Most patients would prefer to move the pain to the low back.  This can be completed by being in a backward bending position.  Bikram Yoga is one example of yoga for sciatica and it gives reprieve from pain but the injury has been done already. So it would be strongly recommended that one use sciatic yoga exercises regularly to maintain a pain-free existence and a healthy body.