Stretches for Sciatica - Sciatica Physical Therapy

Sciatica bothers quite a number of people everyday. People with sciatica may experience numbness, weakness or tingling in the leg area. Also, the pain travels to the buttocks and the back of the legs where the sciatic nerve is located.

 There are several remedies to sciatica. Medications are out in the market to relieve the pain temporarily. For more serious cases, surgery is an option. Surgery corrects the problem by removing a portion of the bone or the posterior arch, depending on the cause of the sciatica.

 Other people with sciatica perform regular exercises to help them ease the pain. There are a couple of sciatica stretches that help improve the condition of a person with this condition.

 One of those exercises is the hamstring stretch while lying on the back. In this type of stretch, the muscles at the back of the thighs are given attention. Stretching is beneficial for people with tight hamstrings; tight hamstrings put stress on the lower back, thus causing discomfort.

 To do the hamstring stretch, one must lie on his or her back. Using a hand or a towel to support the thigh behind the knee, the knee is straightened. By doing this, one can feel the stretch at the back of the thigh. Lower back stretches are also very helpful, as this targets a major muscle that is affected by sciatica.

 A hamstring stretch while in a sitting position also helps a person with sciatica to alleviate the discomfort. To do this while sitting on the edge of a chair, one must extend one leg in front of the body with the heel staying on the floor.

 One must then sit up and push the navel towards the thigh while keeping the body straight. The trunk should not lean forward. By alternating legs to do this exercise, the benefit of this stretch is felt.