Have Pain That Shoots Down Your Leg? Sciatica Stretches to Try at Home

Have you noticed intense pain shooting down your leg? It may be sciatica. And anyone who has experienced this kind of pain would agree that it will stop you in your tracks. Many people think that surgery is the solution. 

However, sciatic nerve pain is usually caused by one of several conditions that can be treated with chiropractic care. With a combination of at-home care and chiropractic methods, most people can relieve the pain at its source. 

What Causes Sciatica?

When it comes to figuring out the cause of sciatica, it’s usually another condition at its source. It could be a result of pregnancy or from being overweight and having load-bearing on the back. It can also be the result of spinal conditions that put pressure on the sciatic nerve such as:

• Herniated or bulging disc
• Lumbar spinal stenosis

Other causes of sciatica include:

• Sleeping on a bad mattress
• Overuse of the back, often related to sports or a job
• Injury
• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Tumors

Symptoms of Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is positioned in such a way that when it’s pinched or compressed, it will cause a shooting pain that runs up and down the back and the leg. Others experience a sensation of tingling or burning that goes through your back, buttocks, and leg. 

Look for these other symptoms to identify sciatica:

• Numbness by the buttocks, leg, foot, or back
• A pins and needles type of feeling that comes with pain in the back
• Hurting while shifting to a different position

Stretches To Help with Sciatica

There are ways to help relieve pain that comes with sciatica until you can get in to see your chiropractor for treatment. It’s important to note that not all stretches are going to benefit your sciatica pain. If you try a stretch and it makes the pain more intense, stop right away. 

It’s important to discuss any at-home treatments you’re using for sciatica, including pain medications. If you’re familiar with yoga, these moves will probably be familiar to you. 

One Leg Knee Hugs into Your Chest

Begin by laying on your back with the full length of your body on the floor. Inhale and bend one knee. Start to bring it towards your chest using your stomach muscles to pull them instead of your back. Once your knee is to your chest, hold your knee against your chest for a few breaths and release the leg down. Do this again with the other leg. 

Child’s Pose

This is a gentle stretch for your back and that sciatic nerve that is bothering you. It is not complex and doesn’t require you to do anything beyond bending down as if to pray. You’ll start in a seated position, or you can be upon both of your knees. If going from your knees, sit back on your heels and then lean forward to rest your head forward. If this is too much of a stretch, you can use a block to place your head down on. Stay in this position for several deep breaths. 

Gentle Twisting With a Chair

You will be using a chair to assist you with this twist of the spine. It may require some balance, too. With the chair in front of you, but the right leg up on the chair, keeping the left one steady to help with balance. Put your hands on your knee and look up towards the ceiling. Once you feel comfortable enough, it’s time for the twist. Twist to the right and place your right hand on your hip and your left hand on your thigh. Breath and hold this twist for thirty seconds. Come back to the starting position and twist on the other side with the left leg. 

Sit and Twist

Pressure builds in the sciatic nerve, which makes it very painful for those with sciatica. This stretch will help relieve that pressure. Start by sitting on the floor with legs crossed. Straighten your spine as tall as you can and let it remain this way throughout the stretch. Pick which side you want to start with and turn back towards that side, putting the other hand behind you and the other on your knee or thigh. Breathe deeply for about five breaths and come back to the center. Do this on the other side. 

Chiropractic Treatments that Help with Sciatica 

It’s a good idea to be assessed by a chiropractor if you have sciatica that doesn’t go away on its own in a few days. A chiropractor will look at possible causes and what to treat so that the pain can stop, and the primary cause can be relieved as well.

Some of the treatment options our team uses to relieve sciatica include:

• Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy: Gentle, motorized spinal traction that reduces pressure on the nerve and helps relieve pain
• Cold laser therapy: This FDA-approved, low-intensity laser treatment for back and joint pain reduces inflammation and pressure, which can reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve
• Massage therapy: Massage has been proven to relieve the pressure that may be irritating sciatic pain. It also increases blood flow that helps your body heal. 

Get Relief for Your Sciatica Pain 

Sciatica pain can be reduced through at-home treatment and at a chiropractor’s office. We are happy to help you get on a path toward relief and healing. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at Village Chiropractic located in The Woodlands.