There’s a limit to your exercise/stretching program.
Why this matters:
When you’re dealing with sciatica pain at rest, there should be a position that provides you some sort of relief. You have permission to pursue that position, stretch, exercise as often as you need to. But what if you know that a specific activity or position is causing your pain?
Some think that the more exercise you do the better. This is true if: 1) the right exercises are selected, 2) the right dosage (reps and sets) are programmed, and 3) if you’re doing them correctly.
One overlooked aspect of recovery is how you go about doing your day to day activities. No amount of stretches and exercises are going to help if you continue to lift your child with a rounded or super arched back. Your pain won’t resolve if you continue to lean over to one side with every step when walking. If you can break down your daily activities, we can figure out how to overcome this pain and prevent flare ups from happening again.
Action steps:
Video record yourself doing some basic activities. See how you walk (from the back and from the side). See how you pick things up from the ground. See how you rise from a chair. See how you sit. Compare it to some of these reference videos (walking, hinging, rising from a chair, sitting). Do you notice a difference between your video and the one’s I’ve shared with you?