Sciatic Pain

The sciatic nerve is a group of nerves that begin in the low back and travel down the leg to the foot. When this nerve is irritated, it can cause pain in the low back or down the leg. If you are experiencing sciatic pain, here are a few of my tips to help get you through the day. 

1. Limit your sitting time. Sitting can put tension on the nerves running down your leg. Limit your sitting time to 30 minutes, then stand up and move around for at least 10 minutes. 

2. Try the static back position. This position can help take some of the pressure off your low back. Start by lying on your back then place your feet on a block to create a 90 degree angle with your knees. 

3. Get Help! If you think you are experiencing pain like this, there is no need to try to ride it out or hope that the pain will just go away. A study Published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that Chiropractic care and other therapies showed success in helping to relieve low back pain (Cherkin 1998). If you start to notice that you have back pain or the pain is getting worse, come in for an exam to help get you out of pain. 

Work Cited:

Cherkin, D. C., Deyo, R. A., Battié, M., Street, J., & Barlow, W. (1998). A comparison of physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, and provision of an educational booklet for the treatment of patients with low back pain. New England Journal of Medicine, 339(15), 1021-1029.