Preventing Sciatic Pain

Hi Everyone!

Today, I am sharing with you my best stretches to prevent sciatic pain. Havard Medical School states, “As many as 40% of people will get it during their life, and it becomes more frequent as you age.” Sciatic pain is something I have dealt with almost every year since I was 16. My sciatic pain tends to shoot down one of my legs. Mine usually flares up in the winter months, which I believe is due to the amount of time spent in the car driving to ski resorts. Sitting for long periods of time can cause flare ups. 

Over the years, I have found what works best for me in preventing it from flaring up. I do these stretches with my stretching routine after each workout. 

Pigeon Pose

I make sure that my front leg is at about 90 degrees and that I am centered over my front leg for the best stretch. I really want to feel this on the side of my hip. Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs. 

Seated Spinal Twist

This one really stretches your piriformis muscle, which is usually the muscle that is pinching your sciatic nerve. Make sure that you are twisted toward the hip of your leg that is up. Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs. 

Seated Figure 4 

This stretch is to open your hips and can even help with low back pain. You can bring your leg as close to you as is comfortable. Sometimes I do this one in the car when we’ve been driving for a long time. Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs.

I really think these stretches help me to prevent sciatic pain. If your muscles get too tight in this area, there is always a chance that you can have a sciatica flare up. Let me know in the comments below if you have ever experienced sciatica and what you did to make it go away. I would love to hear about it. 

Thank you for reading today’s post. Let me know what you think in the comments below.