Sciatica

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Discussion

Lefty

Original Poster:

16,681 posts

209 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
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Anyone had this? Did physio or acupuncture or even chiropractics help?

I’m 43, not exactly athletic but walk 2-3 miles a day, row 2-4k 3 or 4 times a week, in the gym once or twice a week with free weights. 6’4” and 97kg (yeah, yeah I know, 4.8m of 2x4”)

Most days I’m on my arse behind a computer for 8-10 hours but walk dogs at least once a day and we have a little farm so I’m always outside in the evenings and weekends doing reasonably physical stuff.

Last weekend I was cutting back and shifting a load of overgrown foliage and twinged my back. That bending and twisting movement with a heavy brush cutter. Felt better by the evening and thought nothing more of it. In the last few days though it’s become more and more uncomfortable - a literal pain in the arse that sometimes spreads or moves into my lower back.

Standing and walking is absolutely fine, lying down is mostly fine. Sitting is not great and the transition from sitting to standing goes from fairly uncomfortable to fuggin’ agony.

Found some hip rotation exercises on YouTube based on the wife’s recommendation. This is helping a little bit:



Any suggestions?





Tom4398cc

283 posts

41 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
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The McKenzie stretches helped me when I had similar symptoms

anonymous-user

61 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
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Stretching really does help. I see you do free weight work, that's great, but don't underestimate the need to stretch properly to remain flexible - not just a cursory stretch, dedicate a little time to it. I wish I'd concentrated a little less on the weights and a little more on flexibility myself.

Good luck, wishing you a speedy recovery!

Mazinbrum

994 posts

185 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
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Hollow hold, make sure your back stays in contact with the ground though.

037

1,330 posts

154 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
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Suffered for ages as a builder. A Decent Chiropracter sorted me out. Explained what it was causing the pain etc. Exercising can aggravate things so be careful.
What helped was cold compress and rest. The cold contracts things giving the sciatic nerve room to heal. Worked for me

Lefty

Original Poster:

16,681 posts

209 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
quotequote all
Tom4398cc said:
The McKenzie stretches helped me when I had similar symptoms
Excellent, cheers, just found that on YouTube too

Lefty

Original Poster:

16,681 posts

209 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
quotequote all
StayFree said:
Stretching really does help. I see you do free weight work, that's great, but don't underestimate the need to stretch properly to remain flexible - not just a cursory stretch, dedicate a little time to it. I wish I'd concentrated a little less on the weights and a little more on flexibility myself.

Good luck, wishing you a speedy recovery!
Thanks, indeed, my stretching before and after exercise is probably not as good as it should be!

extraT

1,828 posts

157 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
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Yoga with Adriane on YouTube.


Lefty

Original Poster:

16,681 posts

209 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
quotequote all
extraT said:
Yoga with Adriane on YouTube.
Thanks, I see she has a 30m video on yoga for sciatica, I’ll give it a go, looks good

Seventyseven7

982 posts

76 months

Tuesday 1st August 2023
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Sounds like you have piriformis syndrome

rodericb

7,262 posts

133 months

Wednesday 2nd August 2023
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There can be many things which cause "sciatica". In my case it was spondylolysis, aka pars defect, aka busted vertebrae on, if I remember correctly, L5 and L6. The wrong type of movement would cause muscles to spasm, discs to get inflamed and various nerve pain delights.

It actually first really flared up when I was a my most physically fit and I think I might have done something when shoulder pressing some big weights one day a few years earlier, or possibly falling off a motorbike or two.

My advice is to go to whatever actual medical professionals who can diagnose what's actually wrong and show you photographic evidence of it or something. I had an xray and then a CT scan. the Physiotherapist I then got referred to said he'd be able to diagnose it before reading the referral, which he was able to do, but I wouldn't want to rely totally on the hubris of one person and their fingertips. I certainly wouldn't be seeing some quasi-medical person such as a chiropractor.