WHAT CAN HELP RELIEVE SCIATICA?
sciatica symptoms following a car accident, serious fall or sports injury, contact a healthcare provider. Even if your injury requires more aggressive treatment, physical therapy is often recommended as part of the recovery plan. Your physical therapist can help you with surgery rehab. He or she can also focus on extending the benefits of your injections and sciatica medication. For many people with persistent or severe sciatica, physical therapy can be a lifeline: • You’ll be taught targeted moves that strengthen your lower back. Strong muscles support the area around your sciatic nerve and can prevent future injuries. • You’ll also work on improving your posture to keep sciatica symptoms at bay. • Increasing range of motion is also part of physical therapy for sciatica. To request a Physical Therapy appointment, give us a call today (San Anselmo 415-457-4454, Novato 415-898-1311). Learn more about how we can help relieve your sciatica pain by visiting www.sstmarin.com/physical- therapy-services/back-pain-relief.
Home Remedies for Sciatica A few things you can do at home to ease a mild sciatica flare-up include: 1. Alternating with cold and heat. This is a classic treatment for sciatica symptoms. Use an ice pack, followed by a heating pad, for about 15 minutes per application. 2. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees. 3. Try a reclining chair to redirect the pressure from your lower back if you can’t get comfortable during the day or at night. 4. Going for walks often helps ease sciatica pain. “Babying” your condition can actually make it worse. Yet while these methods may help with mild sciatica, there are times when a physical therapy session is a far better strategy. One sign that you should consult a physical therapist is if your home treatments are having little or no effect in reducing the pain and restricted motion. Another is if the symptoms persist for at least a week. Of course, the worsening of pain is the most important sign that physical therapy is needed. How Physical Therapy Can Help Mild sciatica can build up over time, and it may even go away on its own. But when you have an onset of classic
WWW.SSTMARIN.COM
M A I N T A I N EXERC I SE ESSENT I ALS TRY THIS EXERCISE TO STRENGTHEN YOUR LOWER ABS Leg Lifts | TRa (March) Begin by lying on the floor with your knees bent and back flat. Place your hands on the front of your pelvis. Keep your deep core (lower abs) tight throughout the following motion and continue breathing normally. Raise one bent knee toward your chest at 90 degrees. Try not to let your back arch. Gently return foot to starting position. Alternate legs one at a time and repeat 3 times. Exercises copyright of
e Screen Shot 2020-07-30 at 12.53.15 PM
Available at San Anselmo: PILATES CLASSES
Pilates is a series of controlled movements performed on the floor or on a reformer. Our Pilates classes are taught by a highly educated, certified Physical Therapist. Benefits of Pilates: • Improves core strength, posture, and body awareness • Increases overall strength and flexibility • Low impact, easy on joints Call us today or learn more by visiting: www.sstmarin.com/programs/pilates
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker