Yoga focuses on physical movement, mental focus, and breathing. If the source of your sciatica pain is a herniated disc, a yoga practice consisting of gentle postures and simple movements will align, lengthen and strengthen your lower back.
A herniated disc problem or sciatica can be treated without surgical intervention. Yoga is one of these treatment methods. It helps to reduce the patient’s pain and increase the quality of life by reducing the problems caused by the hernia, and sometimes even the pressure it exerts. If the sciatica is caused by pressure on the nerve due to piriformis syndrome, it is important to stretch the piriformis muscle. However, since these exercises can cause spasms and hip pain, asanas should be done gradually and gently.
Sciatica pain, which can be treated thanks to the advancement of medicine every day, is seen in people who are young, work in pain, and do not do sports, but it can also be treated with yoga. Yoga will treat your pain in time, as the movements are not so painful and will make you feel better day by day with practice. Before you start practicing yoga, please consult your doctor if you have a disease, illness, or injury to avoid causing any injury. Do not start practicing yoga without consulting your doctor.
Yoga Asanas That Are Helpful For Relieving Sciatica Pain
Child Pose (Balasana)
Kneel down with your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your hips. Bring your toes together so your lower legs form a V. Lean back so your hips are on your heels. Pull your abdominals towards your waist. Fold forward from your hips without collapsing your spine. Pull your hands in front of you. Your spine and arms should be extended and parallel but relaxed.
Your fingers and palms pressed flat on the floor. Reach forward from your sit bones, lengthening your spine, neck, and crown. With your forehead on your mat, gently press your hips toward your heels so your pelvis moves toward the floor. Enjoy stretching your back and thighs. Alternatively, you can rest your arms at your sides. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Hold your breath for a few breaths or longer. Exhale and come out of the pose.
Bound Angle (Baddha Konasana)
Start with the Dandasana pose. Lie on the floor with your legs bent forward in front of you. Bend your knees, place your feet flat on the mat and bring your heels together. Wrap your hands around the front of your knees and bring your legs slightly closer to your body. Place your palms or fingers between your sitting bones, expanding your spine and chest. As the soles of your feet come together, bring your knees towards the groin at the same time.
Hold your feet with your hands and bring your heels closer to your pelvis. Use your hands to press the soles of your feet together. Press your bones into the ground as you lengthen your spine and the crown of your head. Lean forward with your back straight. Turn your gaze forward. Take deep breaths, hold for 5 to 10 breaths or longer. To release, slowly raise your torso while keeping your back straight. Straighten your spine and return to the Dandasana pose.
One-Legged King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Start with the downward-facing dog pose (Adho Mukha Savasana). Bend your right knee and pull it forward, placing it slightly to the right of your right ankle, so that the shin is as parallel to the front edge of the mat as possible. Check your alignment, your right knee should be in front of your right hip. Flex your right toes towards your shinbone. Simultaneously, extend your left leg back until your knee is resting on the mat.
Place your hands next to or in front of your hips. Center your spine on the tripod formed by your tailbone and seat your bones. Fold your chest forward and walk your hands forward. Either lay your forearms on the floor with your hands in a prayer position or fully extend your arms and rest your forehead on the mat. Feel the tension in your groin. Deepen the stretch by bringing your hips closer to the floor. Direct your gaze forward. Take deep breaths, hold for 5 to 10 breaths or longer. Return to the downward-facing dog pose and repeat the same steps on your other side.
Reclining Pigeon Pose
Lie on your back, stretch your legs and stretch the arms to either side. Bend your knees by placing your feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle on your left knee, right knee facing right. Wrap your left thigh around your chest by wrapping your hands around them. Relax the head and neck by pulling the legs to your chest, stacking your left ankle under your left knee. Engage the core and hold the posture for 5 to 7 deep breaths. Exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Spread your feet about hip-width apart. Keep your arms at your sides and palms down. The outer edges of your feet should be parallel to the floor. Align your heels with your sitting bones. Touch the back of your heels with your fingertips. Inhale as you press your feet to the ground and raise your pubic bone and tailbone as high as you feel comfortable. Keep your knees hip-width apart.
Lift your chest towards your chin while keeping your chin slightly away from your chest to maintain the natural curve of your neck. Extend tension from your neck, spine, and thighs. Press your feet evenly on the ground. Deepen the stretch by clasping your hands under you, pulling your shoulder blades together, and extending your arms toward your heels. Direct your gaze towards the sky. Take a deep breath. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths or longer. Release your spine by moving your spine from top to middle down.
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana)
Begin in the dandasana pose by sitting on the floor with your legs directly in front of you. Bend your right knee and pull it toward your chest with your feet flat on the mat. Out of space. Let your bent knee drop slowly towards the floor. With your right hand, guide the sole of your right foot against your inner left thigh so that your upper thighs form a 90-degree angle.
Lengthen and balance your spine on the tripod made by your tailbone and fit your bones. Extend your spine over your left leg as you fold your torso forward. Squeeze your hands over your left foot, place your elbows on the floor on either side of your leg, or grab hold of your shin or ankle. Take a deep breath. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths or longer. Come back to the Dandasana pose and release. Repeat the pose on the other side.
Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)
When your sciatic nerve pain is caused by standing for long periods of time, this first move is your quickest fix and is as simple as raising one leg. Your starting position “Dog facing down” consists of standing on your hands and feet. Next, step forward with your right foot and place it between your feet and your hands (“Warrior 1” pose). Then open your hips, arms, and chest (“Warrior 2” pose).
Put your left hand on the left side of your hip and extend your right arm. Shift your weight to your right foot and lift your left foot up, placing your right hand on the ground at shoulder level. Now distribute all your weight evenly between your hands and feet and raise your left arm up. Your gaze should be fixed in the same direction as your arm. Hold this position for five breaths and then release the pose. Then repeat this pose on the left side.
Twisted Pose (Vakrasana)
The pressure created in the spine by the bending of this movement provides great relief in the sciatic nerve area. Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Bend both knees and bring your left heel as far to the right as possible. Now, cross your right leg under your left so that your ankle touches the hip area and your knee touches the ankle of the opposite leg.
Use your right arm for support, palm down, and cross your left elbow over your outer thigh to slightly increase the amount of bend in your back. Maintain this position for five breaths and return to the starting position. Then repeat the pose in the opposite direction.
Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
This variation differs from the “Lizard” position in that it opens a different part of the hip and also allows a good stretch in this area. It is an excellent way to reduce the discomfort of sciatica.
Start in the “Downward Facing Dog” pose and bring your right foot forward between the palms of your hands. Now, lower your left knee until it is flat on the floor and always keep your toes straight. Also, slowly lower your knee to the right in the same direction and bring it out of your stance. Hold this pose for five breaths and then repeat the pose with the other leg.
Lobster Pose
This pose offers a tremendous effect by strengthening the muscles in your back. Relief from sciatic nerve pain. Lie on your stomach with your legs and arms together. Make sure your palms are facing up. Begin by lifting your legs, head, and upper body off the ground as you inhale. Your hands should be your support and act as a lever that pushes you towards the ground. Maintain this position for five breaths and then repeat the pose on the opposite side.
Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana)
This pose is great as engaging the hips and hamstrings gives great relief to the sciatic nerve. Lie on your back, arms close to your body and palms down and knees bent; The heels should be as close as possible and planted firmly on the ground. Press your palms and feet firmly and lift your hips up. Keep your hands on the mat or, if it’s more comfortable, tuck your hands under your pelvis. Another option is OR bend your elbows and put your hands under your back. You can also bring the ankles together if your feet are close enough. In this position, take five deep breaths and raise your hips as high as possible.
Exercises You Can Do at Home to Reduce Sciatica Pain
The sciatica is the longest and thickest nerve in the body that starts in the pelvis, runs through the hips, and runs from the leg to the heel. It starts at the junction of the nerve roots coming out of the spinal cord and passes through the outer part of both legs.
Although sciatic pain can be felt in almost all areas where the sciatic nerve passes, the pain most often radiates from the lower back, buttocks, thighs (femur), and behind the calf (fibula). The pain usually manifests itself on one side of the body, and the intensity of the pain can be mild or even unbearably intense.
The sciatic nerve can be affected by many problems and occurs because the nerve is under pressure. Some of the most affecting causes may be herniated disc, that is, a herniated disc pressing on the nerve between the vertebrae, osteoarthritis, spinal curvature (scoliosis), and sometimes the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle passing through the hip.
Mild sciatic pain can go away on its own with the help of regular exercise, but if the pain lasts for more than a few weeks, is felt with increasing intensity, if sudden and severe pain or numbness is felt in the lower back, if muscle weakness is encountered in the legs, it is absolutely necessary to be examined by a doctor and seek medical support.
- When you start to practice your exercises, first remind yourself of the posture towards the spine by lengthening the lower back muscles, and at the same time do a small warm-up.
- Then relax the psoas muscle that connects the spine and legs.
- Then flex the piriformis muscle and hip muscles, which run through the hip and are usually tight, which can depress the sciatic nerve.
- Flex the hips with facet joint rotation and lateral legs.
- Finally, complete the practice with a pose where you can deepen the back leg and hip stretches.
- Do not hold your breath while performing the movements. Imagine every breath you take as if you are taking it towards the muscles you feel the intensity, and with each breath you breathe out, thinking of releasing and relaxing the muscle that you feel the intensity, which is contracted.
8 Pain Relief Methods That People With Sciatica Patients Can Follow
People who complain of sciatica pain should first take care not to tire the legs and waist, and to rest. There are different causes of sciatic pain along with the problems that occur in the spine. In the researches, it has been learned that internal organ disorders, nerve drugs used, problems that occur after birth, wrong fracture-dislocation correction methods, spinal tumors, diabetes, and lumbar hernia are the causes.
Hot spring waters and hot baths are recommended as the treatment of sciatica. Before starting the treatment, the exact cause of the disease is found after the doctor’s examination, some drugs are stopped to take, or some necessary drugs are started to take, and a good rest and strengthening of the muscles will be appropriate methods for treatment. In the treatment of the disease, doctors recommend that people do sit-ups 3 times a day until they get tired and strengthen their lower back muscles.
Sciatica is a serious ailment that negatively affects a person’s daily life. Those with damaged sciatic nerves feel extreme pain in the lower back and legs and will do anything to get rid of it. Here are eight natural ways to relieve pain that you can follow:
- Amber: Many herbs and oils can relieve the pain and inflammation of sciatica. Amber oil is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Apply this oil to the aching area two or three times a day. You will see that the pain is relieved.
- Chiropractic: Sciatica patients resort to chiropractic (manual treatment) to get rid of their pain. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics included statements stating that patients who both opted for chiropractic and had surgery had the same amount of pain relief.
- Sports: Although moving turns into torture for those suffering from sciatic pain, it is necessary to do sports to speed up the healing process. As with all other physical ailments, it is essential to balance the blood circulation by acting and thus prevent inflammation. You do not need to exercise excessively. A 20-minute walk will suffice. Swimming would also be a good alternative.
- Sleep: Make sure you get enough sleep. This will relax your muscles and strengthen your nerves. Prefer to sleep on firm beds. Your bed should keep your back straight.
- Yoga: It is known that yoga strengthens the muscles, accelerates blood flow, and adds flexibility to the body. Although there is no scientific study to support that yoga is good for sciatic pain, many patients say that yoga is effective.
- Physiotherapy: You can get rid of back and joint pain with stretching movements. Under the supervision of a physiotherapist, you should regularly perform the exercise that suits you best.
- Acupuncture: Studies conducted in China argue that acupuncture is more effective on sciatica than treatments applied in the West. In the results of the research, it is stated that 56% of the treated patients completely got rid of the symptoms of sciatica with acupuncture. Again, 35% of them said that the pain decreased perceptibly and this was achieved with at least 12 sessions.
- Ice: Many people say that the cold eliminates the symptoms of sciatica. Some people with the disease wrap ice in a towel and apply it to the aching area. Apply a towel filled with ice to the aching area for 20 minutes every three hours. You will be satisfied with the result.
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