ontheedgeofeverything

Now that we have thoroughly covered the basis of sciatica in terms of a foundational understanding of what it is, what it encompasses, and how to go about treating it, today’s post will specifically address the relief component.

Unfortunately, when it comes to sciatica relief, stretches only do so much. But, when you’re in pain, you’re oftentimes willing to try just about anything, and even if the relief is minor and short-lived, it’s arguably still worth attaining.

Personally, I prefer to resort to pain medication as the absolute last option. If you’re like me in this sense, perhaps some of these stretches will come in handy. This information comes from healthline.com.

“Seated glute stretch

1. Sit on the floor or a chair with your legs out in front of you.
2. Bend your right leg, putting your right ankle on top of the left knee.
3. Lean forward and allow your upper body to reach toward your thigh.
4. Hold for 15-30 seconds. This stretches the glutes and lower back.
5. Repeat on the other side.

“Sitting spinal stretch

1. Sit on the ground with your legs extended straight out with your feet flexed upward.
2. Bend your right knee and place your foot flat on the floor on the outside of your opposite knee.
3. Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee to help you gently turn your body toward the right.
4. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times, then switch sides.

“Basic seated stretch

You begin this stretch by sitting down on a chair and crossing your painful leg over the knee of your other leg. Then follow these steps:

• Bend forward with your chest and try to hold your spine straight. As long as it’s not painful, try to bend over a bit more. Stop if you feel any pain.
• Keep this position for 30 seconds and repeat the exercise with the other leg.

“Figure 4 stretch

The figure-4 stretch can help you open your hips. There are multiple versions of this stretch, but for purpose of relieving sciatic nerve pain, you can follow the following directions:

1. Lie flat on your back and bend both your knees.
2. Cross your right foot over your left thigh, moving your legs up toward the torso.
3. Hold the position for a moment and then repeat on the other side

It’s important not to force this stretch. Instead, allow gravity to bring your legs closer to your body more naturally, achieving a deeper stretch,” the web page explains.

I sincerely hope my sciatica saga will assist someone out there who is struggling.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash