Nor'West News: January 14, 2020

NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Tuesday January 14 2020 23
SENIOR LIVING
Six exercises to help Sciatica
Reclining pigeon pose
Pigeon pose is a common yoga pose. It works to open the
hips. There are multiple versions of this stretch. The first
is a starting version known as the reclining pigeon pose.
If you are just starting your treatment, you should try the
reclining pose first.
1. While on your back, bring your right leg up to a right
angle. Clasp both hands behind the thigh, locking your
fingers.
2. Lift your left leg and place your right ankle on top of the
left knee.
3. Hold the position for a moment. This helps stretch
the tiny piriformis muscle, which sometimes becomes
inflamed and presses against the sciatic nerve, causing
pain.
4. Do the same exercise with the other leg. Once you can
do the reclining version without pain, work with your
health care professional on sitting and forward versions
of pigeon pose.
sitting pigeon pose
1. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out straight in
front of you.
2. Bend your right leg, putting your right ankle on top of
the left knee.
3. Lean forward and allow your upper body to reach
toward your thigh.
4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. This stretches the glutes and
lower back.
5. Repeat on the other side.
FoRwaRd pigeon pose
1. Kneel on the floor on all fours.
2. Pick up your right leg and move it forward on the
ground in front of your body. Your lower leg should be
on the ground, horizontal to the body. Your right foot
should be in front of your right knee while your right
knee stays to the right.
3. Stretch the left leg out all the way behind you on the
floor, with the top of the foot on the ground and toes
pointing back.
4. Shift your body weight gradually from your arms to
your legs so that your legs are supporting your weight.
Sit up straight with your hands on either side of your
legs.
5. Take a deep breath. While exhaling, lean your upper
body forward over your front leg. Support your weight
with your arms as much as possible.
6. Repeat on the other side.
Knee to opposite shouldeR
This simple stretch helps relieve sciatica pain by loosening
your gluteal and piriformis muscles, which can become
inflamed and press against the sciatic nerve.
1. Lie on your back with your legs extended and your feet
flexed upward.
2. Bend your right leg and clasp your hands around the
knee.
3. Gently pull your right leg across your body toward your
left shoulder. Hold it there for 30 seconds. Remember to
pull your knee only as far as it will comfortably go. You
should feel a relieving stretch in your muscle, not pain.
4. Push your knee so your leg returns to its starting
position.
5. Repeat for a total of three reps, and then switch legs.
sitting spinal stRetch
Sciatica pain is triggered when vertebrae in the spine
compress. This stretch helps create space in the spine to
relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve.
1. Sit on the ground with your legs extended straight out
with your feet flexed upward.
2. Bend your right knee and place your foot flat on the
floor on the outside of your opposite knee.
3. Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee
to help you gently turn your body toward the right.
4. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times, then switch
sides.
standing hamstRing stRetch
This stretch can help ease pain and tightness in the
hamstring caused by sciatica.
1. Place your right foot on an elevated surface at or below
your hip level. This could be a chair, ottoman, or step
on a staircase. Flex your foot so your toes and leg are
straight. If your knee tends to hyperextend, keep a slight
bend in it.
2. Bend your body forward slightly toward your foot. The
further you go, the deeper the stretch. Do not push so
far that you feel pain.
3. Release the hip of your raised leg downward as opposed
to lifting it up. If you need help easing your hip down,
loop a yoga strap or long exercise band over your right
thigh and under your left foot.
4. Hold for at least 30 seconds, and then repeat on the
other side.
exeRcise with caRe
Be cautious and work with the flexibility of your body. If
you attend a class or watch YouTube videos, those people
have been practicing for a while. Don’t compare yourself
or push yourself. Flow with your body and if you have
kind of pain, you should stop. You can try again at another
time.
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