Sciatica is a condition where the sciatic nerve is being irritated at its root in the lower back or along its length. The irritation of one of the sciatic nerves can lead to pain, and this pain can feel like it’s running from your lower back, through the buttock and down the back of the leg. To help treat the pain of sciatica, physical therapists in El Paso, Texas, can use several types of stretching exercises.
- Knee to chest stretch
Tight muscles in the butt and upper leg can increase the strain on your lower back, and this strain can cause more sciatic nerve irritation and pain. One stretch that can help with sciatica pain treatment by stretching the butt and thigh muscles is the knee to chest stretch.
Begin this stretch by lying down on your back on the floor. To make this position more comfortable, you can lie on a yoga mat and place a folded towel under your head. Bend both your knees until your feet are flat on the floor, and slightly tuck your chin to finish getting into the exercise’s starting position.
From the starting position, raise your right leg so that your knee moves toward your chest. You should feel a stretch in your leg and butt. Once you feel the stretch, place your hands on your knee or around your thigh to help hold the stretch. This should allow you to hold the stretch for about 20 to 30 seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat these steps with your left leg, and continue to repeat them until you’ve stretched each leg three times.
- Back extensions
Another sciatica pain treatment exercise your therapists may have you do is back extensions. This exercise is intended to stretch the muscles of your lower back, and it can also help open more space between your lower back vertebrae. Both of these things can help reduce sciatic nerve irritation and help decrease sciatica pain.
To begin this exercise, lie facedown on the floor, and bend your arms so that you’re resting on your forearms. Position your head so that you’re looking down at the floor and your neck is straight. From this starting position, use your arms to push yourself up so that your upper torso is off the floor, but be sure to keep you’re still keeping your neck straight. This should cause your back to arch and lead to a stretch in your stomach and lower back. Hold this stretch for five to 10 seconds before returning to the start position, and you should take a few seconds to rest before repeating these steps again until you’ve done the stretch eight to 10 times total.
Border Therapy Services in El Paso, TX, can help you find effective sciatica pain treatment
One condition we have lots of experience with at Border Therapy Services is sciatica, and we have seven clinics in the El Paso area that can help you treat this back condition. Our clinics offer free screenings to ensure that sciatica is what’s causing your pain. We also provide each patient with an individualized therapy plan, and your plan may be built using therapy techniques like:
- Therapeutic exercises
- Aquatic therapy
- Functional dry needling
- Manual therapy
Are you ready to take the next step to get our help with your sciatica? Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.