Are you suffering with a weak, achy feeling in your low back? Do you feel like if you move quickly it may “go out” and sometimes the ache goes all the way down your leg? Perhaps you’ve googled sciatica a bunch of times but you still aren’t sure what to do about it and you know that the muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories are just covering up your symptoms and possibly setting you up for re-injury.
You’re not alone. 80% of people suffer from some sort of low back pain or sciatica in their lifetime. Patients used to come in with injuries triggered by lifting but these days the most common causes on low back pain and sciatica are sitting (and standing) for long periods of time.
”Sitting can’t be the new smoking, because we can’t “quit” and it isn’t going away. It’s time to think of sitting as a skill and train for it…practicing good form so we don’t hurt ourselves.
The majority of the issue is caused by the forward position we use to see our computers and phones, or standing with the weight on the front of our foot. This results in too much tension in the front of the body, strain and weakness in the back and neck… and sets you up for disc issues and knee problems. What’s worse is that misaligned vertebrae, over-tensed muscles, pinched nerves and many other issues crop up as your body does its best to compensate for this imbalance.
What if it’s sciatica?
Sciatica occurs when your issue has gotten to the point that the sciatic nerve is being pinched.
The causes of sciatica are numerous: misaligned spine and pelvic joints, a herniated “slipped” disc, and many more. Please contact us if you think you may be suffering with sciatica so that we can ensure you heal completely, and the issue doesn’t return.
Being diagnosed with sciatica can be scary, but discovering why the nerve is pinched (and correcting it) is crucial to our patient’s healing.
What are the symptoms of sciatica?
- Pain in the leg or buttocks that’s worse when sitting
- Burning or tingling running down the leg
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot
- Constant pain on one side of your buttocks
- A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up
The doctors at Pure-health are experts at locating and correcting the underlying issues causing generalized low back pain, and sciatica. Spinal adjustments restore misaligned vertebral bodies to their proper position in the spine which “un-pinches” the nerve and alleviates symptoms.
We will provide all of our patients with very specific stretches and exercises, but here are a few to get started:
Desk Setup
The first step is to make sure your desk is set up correctly. This video will provide you with important tips…especially if you are working or studying from home on a laptop.
Proper sitting
Now that you’re all set up the crucial next step is to have your bodyweight distributed on your chair properly.
Desk Stretches and Moving More
We’re all bound to end up stuck in our desks at some point, but doing stretches at our desk and moving more are healthy habits that can make a world of difference to how we feel.
Too often we see new patients who waited too long and now have a much bigger issue to contend with…and a longer road to heal. The good news is that most patients are surprised how quickly they feel better, and wish they’d started care sooner.
Life’s too short to suffer from low back pain just because you have a job where you sit or stand for too long. Contact us today and we’ll get you on track to feel like your best self again.
