Stretches for sciatica
Are you looking for stretches for sciatica to help eliminate your pain from sciatica? For one to get long-term back pain and sciatica pain relief you need to begin with the basics. In this case you will considering the muscle imbalances. This process basically means you will have to identify the muscle imbalance in your body and then find strategy for correcting and improving them, which includes learning stretches for sciatica.
This process may sound a little complicated in the beginning, once you start it is actually pretty easy to determine how are where your back and sciatica pain are being caused and subsequently tackling this pain with stretches for sciatica. Once you learn and gain an understanding of how sciatic pain develops, your recovery will be much quicker than other sciatica pain sufferers by learning key stretches for sciatica.
Did you know that there are four conditions that cause sciatica?
1. Piriformis Syndrome
This is the most common cause of sciatic pain and is created when pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle. Muscle imbalances pull the hip joints and pelvis out of place and this change of position typically shortens and tightens the piriformis muscle, which then places pressure on the sciatic nerve.
2. Herniated Discs
Sciatica can also be caused by pressure on the nerve due to a herniated or bulging disc. A herniation is when a disc protrudes out from between the vertebrae and this can either be caused by an event like a car accident, or by months or years of uneven pressure due to muscle imbalances.
3. Spinal Stenosis
Sciatica can also be caused by pressure on the nerve due to a narrowing of the spinal canal. There are several possible conditions that lead to spinal stenosis, including aging, trauma, hereditary and flurosis.
The most important thing you can do if you are certain you have spinal stenosis is to ensure that you maintain as close to normal curvature in the spine. The more your spine is pulled out of place the tighter the space gets in the spinal canal. Identifying your muscle imbalance and learning the subsequent stretches for sciatica is an important step for sciatica pain relief.
4. Isthmic Spondylolisthesis
Sciatica can also be caused by Isthmic spondylolisthesis, yet is much less common. Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebrae slips forward and places pressure on the adjacent vertebrae. This condition will produce both a gradual deterioration of the vertebrae in the lower spine and can also cause a narrowing of the spinal canal.
If abnormal motion allows this vertebrae to move back and forth nerves in the spinal canal may be affected causing pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in the legs. Many individuals who have this condition may not have symptoms while others may experience long term back pain and or sciatica.
Spondylolisthesis is most common in the lower spine. The most common cause is degenerative disease (like arthritis) and the slip usually occurs between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae where there is the most curvature in the spine. Muscle imbalances play a major role in two ways:
- Degenerative diseases like arthritis are much more common in areas of the body where there is uneven pressure and wear and tear.
- Muscle imbalances increase the amount of curvature in the lower spine making this condition much more likely to come about.
Other causes of spondylolisthesis include stress fractures (which are often caused by repetitive hyper-extension of the back, commonly seen in gymnasts), and traumatic fractures. Spondylolisthesis may also occasionally be associated with bone diseases. As with the other three conditions, muscle imbalances have a lot to do with spondylolisthesis.
The key to sciatica pain relief is learning stretches for sciatica. It is important to understand muscle imbalances in your body and how they can affect your over all body balance. To learn more about stretches for sciatica and muscle imbalances in your body, please click here.