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Yoga Poses for Relieving Sciatica Pain

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According to some statistics, the average person has 40% chance of experiencing sciatica pain through his/hers life. In an era where most of us work in an office, with long seating hours, sciatica pain is the latest condition that we have to be careful of. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body. This nerve starts at the spine and runs all the way down through the thigh and calf muscles to the foot. Any damage to the sciatic nerve manifests as sciatica pain. You might feel pain in your thigh, or in your lumbar section. Here are the symptoms you should be careful:

– Pain anywhere along the sciatic nerve. This includes the lower back, the back of the thigh, the buttock, and the calf

– Tingling, burning, and pinching feeling along the sciatic nerve

– Fatigue

– Numbness or loss of feeling in your legs/feet

– Foot drop, a term used to describe condition in which you are not able to flex your ankles

– Reduced reflexes in your Achilles tendon

Causes of sciatica pain

The most common cause for sciatica pain is herniation in the lumbar spine. That is the part of the spine that curves inward near your lower-middle back. You should consult a doctor. Nearly 70% of sciatica pain is caused by piriformis, a muscle that is one of the small hip rotators. You use these rotators to turn your thigh out.

Yoga poses for sciatica

Yoga is one of the best activities for relieving sciatica pain. Yoga helps you strengthen the muscles that hold your spine, but also stretch those muscles. Most of the poses include back stretches that target your lower back and prevent sciatica pain. Before trying these poses, we recommend you consult with a doctor.

Standing back twist

This pose is designed for beginners that are not elastic and bendy enough. Simply put your foot up on a chair. If you put your left foot on the chair, place your right hand on your raise knee. Always work with opposites. Place the left hand on your hip. Turn your upper body while you keep your hips facing forward. Hold the position for 30 seconds, and then switch to the other hand/foot. Push as much as you are comfortable with.

Knee raise

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Another pose designed for beginners. Start by lying on your back. Draw one knee to your chest, all while keeping your other leg straight. Push down with the knee, and pull up with your hands. During the entire pose, your shoulders are on the floor.

Two knee twist

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Start by lying on your back. With your hands, form a capital “T”. Keep your shoulders on the floor, and turn your knees to one side. With your shoulders on the floor, stay in this position for one minute, and then alternate sides.

Single knee twist

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You can perform a knee twist with one or two legs. Start in the same position as the previous pose. Keep one leg straight, and then bend the other knee to a 90-degree angle. Place the opposite hand on that knee (left knee – right hand). Turn to the side of the arm on the floor. Keep both shoulders on the floor and face the arm on the floor for 30 seconds.

Twisted lunge

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Once you become more elastic, you can perform more complex exercises. For the twisted lunge, you start in classic lunge position: one leg forward and bend at the knee. Keep your other leg behind you. You need to keep feet at one leg’s length apart. Turn your back, and place your opposite elbow on the bent knee (right elbow – left knee). Bring your palms together and hold the position for 30 seconds. Switch sides.

Cat pose

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Very easy pose, all you have to do is get on your hands and knees. Bend your back down, and then lift your chest while pulling your shoulders back. Breathe, hold for 10 seconds, and then return to a flat back. As you return, tuck your chin into your chest, and raise your back. Hold 10 seconds, and then release. Repeat for two minutes. This is one of the best exercises to arch your back.

Child’s pose

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Arguably the easiest yoga pose is also one of the best and most beneficial. You are stretching almost your entire upper body. Get down on hands and knees. Now, rock your seat back onto your heels. Leave your hands on the floor and in front of you. Hold as long as you like. Just try not to fall asleep in this position.

Post Disclaimer

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Yoga Poses for Relieving Sciatica Pain" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

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Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
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License Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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