Sciatica and Low Back Pain Stretches to Help Ease the Pain

There is more to chiropractic than in office treatments. Often times, there are stretches and techniques to do at home. When dealing with sciatica and/or low back pain, there are stretches that can be done before and in between chiropractic appointments to ease the pain. Consistency with these stretches is critical when a patient is trying to find relief.  Four common stretches for sciatic pain are “knee to opposite shoulder” and the “figure 4” stretch which can be done 3 different ways- laying, sitting, and standing.


The Figure 4 stretch laying: When performing this stretch laying down, cross your leg over the opposite leg created a figure 4 with your leg, lift the leg and stretch it to the chest, pulling from either behind the knee or in front of the opposite leg at the front of the shin.

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When doing the figure 4 sitting, cross one leg and place it on top of the opposite leg and lean forward.

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While standing, the same formation is required, but for best results, brace yourself by standing in front of a wall with your hands holding the wall for support.

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The ‘knee to opposite shoulder’ stretch is exactly that. When performing this stretch, the patient should lay on the back and cross your leg to the opposite shoulder and hold for 10-15 seconds.

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For best results with these stretches, put a moist heat pack on the low back area for about 10 minutes prior to these stretching exercises. This will help loosen the muscle tension before stretching to achieve a deeper stretch.


Each stretch should be held for 10-15 seconds. They should be done on both sides, right and left. You should complete 3 sets on each side. Happy stretching!!!


Health and Happiness,

Dr. Melissa


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