The Hidden Muscle Causing Your Sciatica Pain And 2 Easy Stretches For INSTANT Relief
Many people suffer from sciatica, a painful lower back condition caused by a pinched nerve.
Sciatica is a condition that many people suffer from. It is characterized by low back pain caused by a pinched nerve. It can also make it very uncomfortable to sit on one side of the body and can lead to progressive weakness of the lower extremities and numbness of the upper thighs.
The Hidden Cause
In many cases, the cause of sciatica is actually a tight or misaligned muscle.
The piriformis muscle extends from the front of the sacrum through the pelvic cavity to attach at the top of the femur and covers part of the sciatic nerve. Because it is woven through bone and other muscles, it can be missed when diagnosing sciatic pain.
Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis constricts the sciatic nerve and other nerves in the gluteus. A competent massage therapist, chiropractor or osteopathic physician is well aware that a misaligned piriformis can cause many types of pain in the lower back and extremities.
If the cause of your back pain is due to the piriformis muscle and not a herniated disc, consider yourself fortunate – it is treatable without surgery, physical therapy or drugs.
How to treat sciatica
Muscles are meant to move – the piriformis is no exception.
Stretching does wonders to release constriction and tension, thus reducing inflammation and/or misalignment, and relieving nerve pain as a result. Below are two exercises that target the piriformis:
1. Lie on your back with your legs flat. Pull the affected leg up toward your chest, holding the left knee with the left hand and grasping the ankle with the other hand. Leading by the ankle, pull the knee toward the opposite leg until you feel a slight stretch – do not force the ankle or knee beyond the stretch. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat three times.
2. Lie on the floor with the affected leg crossed over the other leg at the knees and both legs bent. Gently pull the lower knee up toward the shoulder on the same side of the body until the stretch is felt. Maintain a stretch for 30 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat three times.
Source:hlthmastr.blogspot.com
