Stand Tall Against Sciatica: Daily Practices to Keep the Pain at Bay
Guest Post by: Hema Murty, PhD
Introduction
Sciatica is a debilitating condition which makes life difficult at work and you end up losing valuable work time. For anyone suffering from a flare-up, you have to cancel your plans for the day. So what can we do to keep it at bay? How can you keep your workforce, healthy and productive in the corporate world?
First, know that about 40% of the population will have the condition known as sciatica. So, you are in good company. We must make a preventative plan and a plan to keep it in check, after onset. In this article, we will help you understand what sciatica is and second, if you are diagnosed with it, then, how to practice daily care, so that it doesn’t interfere with your regular activities.
What is Sciatica
The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that runs down the leg. It is the largest nerve in the body and emanates from a large section of the spine, from lumbar to sacral. This explains why people often feel tingling in their feet or legs, as a possible symptom of sciatica.
If you have chronic pain, you need to get it checked by a professional, immediately. This professional could be a chiropractor, physiotherapist or registered massage therapist.
Once they diagnose it as sciatica, they can develop an immediate treatment plan. If this is your first time encountering this, then the treatment plan needs to be put in place immediately by the professional on a frequent schedule. However, if you have had episodes of onset before, then you are accustomed to the self-care schedule from your previous visits with professionals.
Self Care - Daily Plan
Ultimately it means we all have to include a schedule of self-care into our daily plan.
A daily stretch plan is mandatory to keep any physical issues from flaring up during your day.
Second, include foam rolling into your day. I have a free Foam Rolling Guide(https://www.getshanti.com/foamroller/) to learn more about that.
Third, monitor your food intake. This can feel like a daunting task.
Everyone totally understands how food can play a part in sciatica, owing to the inflammatory nature of certain foods which are specific to you. It can seem like a huge task to monitor food. We all just want to eat and run.
Keep a notebook beside the area where you eat, preferably the dining table.
Or use your phone to take photos of all of your food.
And perhaps use an app to determine the contents of the food from the photo.
⬆️Do this consistently for two weeks.
Then sit down with yourself and take a hard look at what you have been eating and see if there is a connection between your pain onset and a certain food consumption. If there is, then try to eliminate it for two weeks and see if the pain onset is reduced or eliminated.
There may be more culprits. You may have to continue this process a few weeks to get all the foods that may cause an onset of inflammation leading to pain.
Look at Pain, Squarely in the Eyes
Let’s step back for a moment and look at pain, squarely in the eyes. We want to avoid pain. However, with age, it might be inevitable to experience inflammation which ultimately leads to pain.
Initially, a food or movement can trigger sciatica. It might be minor. We can swallow an ibuprofen and move on with our life.
However, progressively the inflammation grows and becomes a big problem in your body, as it presses on adjacent muscle with growth.
Here is when we complain about it and it starts to interfere with life. However, the trigger started a while ago. Food diaries tell us the back story and like Sherlock himself, we can track back a few suspects.
Corporate Wellness Programs
Corporate Wellness Programs can include a support system for this self care routine. Normally, we like to pretend it does not exist and move on. Who has time for some daily stretching, when you feel fine?
Seeking other people in a Wellness Program or creating your own Wellness Program for yourself with friends to keep it accountable is a great place to start on the journey.
If possible, a Corporate Wellness Program can include a small space for stretching. They can have posters or videos on a tablet or smart phone, ready to go through the stretch in a safe manner.
Stress is often underestimated as a culprit.
What stress does is to create a body which is prone to inflammation.
The least amount of deviation from regular life and it becomes inflamed, leaving you to wonder why you suddenly feel pain from lifting that coffee table, something you have already done many times before.
A program of meeting with friends, once a week and just talking can take this stress level down. Take yourself out, once a week, even if you are by yourself. Make it special, dress up and have fun.
How do you recognize that you are a chronic pain situation, ready to go off?
Have you ever had any spasms? Have you ever had the slightest twinge in your body from a motion that you have done many times with no reaction? It really could be anything. Have it checked to be sure. Don’t wait for it to be worse and make a home in your body.
Moves that Provide Relief
Here are some moves that can provide some relief, with the caveat that you have already seen a professional and that they have approved these stretches.
A red flag would be a random stretching sequence or class, for example, from the internet, with someone who does not understand your particular issue with sciatica.
Random information from the internet does not have a good track record in general. Please ensure the source is solid.
Suggested moves:
Face down, feet together, elbows bent hands by the side of your rib cage, palms facing down on the mat. Squeeze your glutes and keeping your shoulders down, raise your torso slightly as you exhale. Inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 4 seconds. Maintain that position for a round of 4 second inhale and 4 second exhale and then release to the floor. Consistently squeeze the glutes, keep your shoulders down and neck relaxed.
Staggered stance as shown in this video is a good practice. Modify it accordingly by placing the hand that is shown on the lower back on the thigh of the same leg for comfort in decreasing rotation of the shoulder. If you have specific modifications that are necessary, then email me at hema@getshanti.com and we can review through a video chat.
Tiger breathing or also known as “cat-cow” in the Western world.
Bridge
Sitting for great lengths of time should be avoided! Get up every hour at the minimum and do a simple stretch like hip rotations. You can find many simple warm up moves here.
Conclusion
You are not alone. Pain is not an individual, “keep to yourself” thing. Seek out professionals, even friends to make sure that you have eyeballs on you, in case it gets worse. You can do this. You can be the lord and master of your pain. You have a lot of life worth living.
www.getshanti.com
About the Author:
Hema Murty, PhD, is a seasoned expert in wellness and pain management. With a deep understanding of sciatica and its impact on daily life, Hema emphasizes the importance of preventative care and self-care practices.
She advocates for holistic approaches, including stretching, foam rolling, and dietary monitoring, to manage and alleviate pain. Hema also highlights the role of corporate wellness programs in supporting employees' health and productivity.
Through her work, she aims to empower individuals to take control of their well-being. You can learn more about her work at GetShanti or reach out to her directly via email at hema@getshanti.com.
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