Have Sciatica? You May Want to Avoid These Things
By Sara Butler
Sciatic pain can be caused by a variety of factors. No matter the reason, the pain is the same. Since the sciatic nerve is the largest in the body, traveling from your lower back all the way to the tips of your toes, when it is irritated or impinged, then it hurts.
Living with sciatica isn't easy, but it's possible. You simply have to make sure you're changing your lifestyle habits in a way that doesn't irritate the nerve further and cause more symptoms. Here are a few things that those with sciatic should avoid doing from the chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic.
Avoid Twisting
Any type of activity that involves twisting the torso is not good for those with sciatica, as it can make the condition worse. This is especially true of exercises that rely on twisting of the torso, such as soccer, paddle boarding, and even tennis.
Discuss the type of sciatica you have with your chiropractor in order to understand what activities may be a problem for you.
Long Periods of Sitting
Sitting for a long time can make symptoms related to sciatica worse. Activities that require a lot of sitting should be avoided. If you sit a lot at work, then you may want to schedule a reminder on your phone or computer to get up at least once per hour to move around and stretch to help keep your symptoms from getting aggravated by all that sitting.
You may also want to discuss ergonomics for work and home with your chiropractor. They may be able to suggest changes you can make to the way you sit that will help keep your sciatica symptoms from getting worse.
Heavy Lifting
A major cause of sciatic pain is herniated spinal discs. Any movements that put more pressure on the herniated discs should be avoided, such as lifting heavy objects. Exercise is good, but strength training should be done only under the supervision of a medical professional. Talk to your chiropractor about what you can and can't do with weights with your sciatica.
Listen
The most important thing you can do when you have sciatica is to listen to your body. No two people with sciatica are alike and may experience different issues related to the condition, which is why understanding your own limitations is paramount to not aggravating your sciatica.
Sciatica is manageable. If you're struggling, talk to the chiropractors at The Joint.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in San Jose, Calif.