Lower back pain and sciatica isn't something you need necessarily to endure everyday.
In fact, yoga poses can help to relieve some the pain you may be experiencing. A few yoga poses focusing on building core strength whilst also increasing flexibility in the hips and spine can certainly help reduce the discomfort you may be experiencing.
Originating from the lower back, passing through the buttocks down to the lower leg, the sciatic nerve is the longest in the body. Sciatica is experienced when the nerve is irritated. Up to 40% of us will experience a form of sciatica in our lifetime - lasting a few weeks or potentially longer.
If you are experiencing either;
Numbness, tingling to shooting pain down one (or both) of your legs
Heavy feeling in the legs
Constant dull pain in hips, back and buttocks
Increased pain when you start moving
it is possibly related to the sciatic nerve being irritated or pinched.
How can the sciatic nerve be irritated
From prolonged time sitting down or lifting heavy objects
Having a larger body size, increasing age
Herniated disc in lower back (this is the most common cause)
The purpose of any yoga poses is to
Help re-align the spine into a neutral position- a gentle arch in the lower back
Enhance mobility in the lower back
Enable range of movement in the hips
Stretch glutes and hamstrings
The photo's have deliberately been taken in normal clothing. You don't need to get changed into yoga or exercise gear to do them!
Childs pose
Lengthens and stretches the spine
Stretches lower back, hips and lower back
Start on all four, move hips back towards your heels
Knees can be together or mats width apart
Bring forehead towards the floor
Hold for 5-10 breaths, repeat
Childs pose
Cat Cow
Spinal articulation stimulates flexibility in both lower and upper back
Start on all fours - hands under shoulders, knees under hips
Inhale - arch spine upwards, tuck chin to chest and round hips forward
Exhale - arch spine downwards, look to the ceiling
Repeat 3-5 times
The 'cow' in Cat Cow
Cobra pose
Engages the core and provides a gentle back bend
Place hands under shoulders and tuck elbows towards the rib cage
Inhale raise chest off the mat
Don't press hard though the hands, arms can remain bent (this is not an upward dog)
Hold for 3-5 breaths
Exhale - lower chest to mat
Repeat 3-5 times
Cobra pose
Locust Pose
Engages lower back, glutes, thighs and flexibility in the hips
Inhale - raise chest and legs off the mat, hands reaching towards the feet
Exhale - release lowering body to the floor
Hold for 3-5 breaths
Repeat 3-5 times
Locust pose
Downward dog
Stretches hamstrings and lower back
Ground through the hands / spreading the fingers, gaze to your toes
Peddle the feet out to go deeper on each side
Hold for 5-10 breaths, repeat after taking some rest in Childs pose
Downward dog pose
Knees to chest
Releases tightness in the lower back
Lie on your back
Exhale - bring one or both knees to the chest
Hold knees
Hold pose for 30-60s
Exhale - release, straighten your legs
Repeat 3-5 times or for as many as you have time for
Knee to chest
Bridge pose
Strengthens lower back and thighs
Lie on your back, feet hips width apart, close to your hips.
Extend arms to fingers are reaching towards heels
Look upwards
Inhale - raise hips towards the ceiling (keep knees above the heels)
Exhale - lower hips to the mat, slowly working downwards from neck to base of spine, each vertebrae at a time
Repeat - 3-5 times
Bridge pose
Reclined pigeon
Opens up the glutes, hips and lengthens the spine
Inhale - Rest ankle onto opposite knee
Exhale - draw knee to chest, holding back of knee or shin
Hold for 3-5 breaths
Repeat on both sides
Reclined pigeon pose
Cobblers pose
Soles of feature together, placing elbows to inner thigh, straighening back
Exhale - forward fold, gaze to toes
Inhale - straighten
Exhale - forward fold again
Repeat - 3-5 times
Cobblers pose
Some points to remember
Avoid any poses that cause pain, make the pain worse
Don't do any forward folds (other than downward dog)
Be gentle on yourself
If you are experiencing sciatica on one side then go easier on that side
Stretch both sides of the body
Should the pain remain (or increase) over an extended period arrange an appointment with a healthcare professional
