Self-Care Tips for Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief
In addition to the chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture treatments you receive at Arne Wellness Center, you can relieve sciatic nerve pain by practicing a few simple self-care tips and healthy habits. Add these handy hints to your daily routine to help keep your sciatica at bay. Check it out!
Take Breaks to Stand Up and Move Around
Whether you work at a desk all day or you drive a vehicle for a living, sitting for long periods of time every day can have a major impact on your lower back health. In fact, prolonged sitting is one of the main culprits that can trigger the onset of sciatica.
Tip: Get in the habit of taking breaks every hour or so to stand for 10-20 minutes. Get up from your desk and move around to stimulate circulation and alleviate pressure on your lumbar spine, sacrum, and hips. Look into a desk that can be set to a sitting or standing position to help you stay productive while also relieving pain.
Make Stretching a Routine
One sure-fire way to alleviate sciatic pain and stretch tight, tense muscles that can aggravate the sciatic nerve is to stretch regularly. Here are some basic low back stretches to work into your daily routine:
-
In a standing position, raise your arms to the sky to elongate your spine. Then, gently fold your upper body forward so you are parallel to the floor and slowly drop your arms down in front of you by reaching toward your toes. Hold for 10 seconds and return to a standing position.
-
In a seated position (in a stable chair) with your hips and knees leveled, carefully place your right outer ankle on your left knee. Keeping your back straight and your tummy tucked, gently lean forward so you feel a good stretch in the lower right hip down into your glutes and into your upper thigh muscles. Hold for 10-15 seconds, reset, and repeat on the opposite side. You can also try this stretch on the floor if it’s more comfortable.
-
Laying on your back with both of your legs out in front of you, gently pull one leg toward your chest and hold your knee to your chest with your arms for 10-15 seconds. Reset, and repeat on the other side.
Check Out Our Blog for More Great Tips
From practicing self-care pain relief techniques to walking your way to health, your Littleton chiropractors have a few more helpful tips you can use to relieve sciatic nerve pain at home, at work, while traveling, or on the go. Explore these handy resources below.