Yoga poses for sciatica: exercise for sciatica
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a shooting pain that begins from the lower end of the spine, travels through the buttocks and then to the back of the leg. Apart from the pain, the affected person feels a tingling sensation, weakness or numbness in the ankle, or the knee, and at times in the leg as well. The pain caused by sciatica generally affects one side of the body.
What are the causes of sciatica?
If you suffer from pain like this, we suggest that you visit a doctor to ascertain if it is sciatica or any other health problem. When sciatica affects a person, the sciatica nerves get compressed or inflamed. Either all five or only one of the nerves might be affected. This can happen because of a tumor, bone spurs or herniated lumbar disc of the spine.
Who can suffer from sciatica?
People between the ages of 30 and 50 are more susceptible to sciatica. People who have desk jobs as well as pregnant women are at a risk of getting sciatica pain.
How to cure sciatica?
You must visit a doctor if you feel you have any of the symptoms of sciatica. A doctor might recommend a certain treatment plan or sessions with a physiotherapist to cure your sciatica pain. Yoga is another way to help heal the pain. Yoga for sciatica has been known to be an effective way of treating the pain. These simple yoga exercises can stretch and strengthen the muscles, make the body supple and relax the mind and the muscles.
Yoga poses for sciatica
These stretches for sciatica can be beneficial for people with sciatica.
- Every pose in yoga is for a specific muscle or group of muscles, organ or gland. And by doing these exercises you can increase your blood circulation and oxygenate the nerve cells. These postures also massage the glands or the muscles.
- Yoga postures can elongate and stretch the spine, and this way the pressure on the sciatica nerves that are pressed between the spinal discs, is released.
- Meditation and pranayama can relax the tensed muscles, and infuse renewed energy. This way the patient gets some relief from the pain.
Specific yoga postures: Try these stretches for sciatica.
- Since sciatica is felt in one side of the body, you might want to try doing Janu Sirsasana or Head to Knee Forward Bend.
- Shalabhasana or Locust Pose is a great backbend exercise for healing. It not only strengthens the lower-back muscles but also increases the circulation in the hip muscles.
- You might also like to do Setu Bandha or the Bridge Pose and the Ardha Matseyendrasana or the Half Lord of the Fishes Pose.