Sciatica is characterized by pain in sciatic nerve, due to compression or an injury. It starts from spinal cord in the lower back and ends at the back area of lower leg to each foot. It leads to pain, numbness, or tingling in leg.
Sciatic pain can be felt in different ways, for some people it is felt as mild tingling, but for the others, it may be severe enough to restrict the movements of a person. This usually occurs only in one side of the body. Here are a few simple yoga postures to help you recover through the sciatica pain.
Yoga Exercises For Sciatica
Adho-Mukhasana/Downward Facing Dog Pose
Stand straight with feet joined. Inhale and raise both your hands up over the head. While exhaling, slowly bring both the hands to touch the floor with palms. Adjust your body weight on your palms. Move both the palms forward to make a distance of about two feet between legs and palms.
Keep your hips pulled up and hold this position of a downward facing dog for a few seconds. To resume the earlier position, lessen the distance between legs and palms, by balancing the weight on all the four limbs. Once the palms reach near legs, inhale and raise both the hands up over the head and slowly lower the hands while exhaling deeply. Repeat this 3 times and relax. This pose lengthens and strengthens the back to bring relief in sciatica.
Vriksh-Asana/Tree Pose
Stand straight with joined feet. Slowly bend the right leg at knee and bring the sole to rest on the left knee, or anywhere above the knee. Balance yourself on one leg while gazing straight on front wall. Now inhale deeply and raise both the hands by your sides, over your head, to join like a namaskar mudra. Stretch the hands and elbows upwards. Hold for few seconds with normal breathing rhythm.
Initially you can take the support of a wall or stand by the wall to achieve the position. Now, with an exhalation bring both the hands down and the right leg back to the floor. Tree Pose stretches and builds strength in thighs, calves, ankles and back, making it therapeutic for sciatica. It can also increase the flexibility of your hips and groin.
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Setubandha Asana/Bridge Pose
Lie down on a mat, on your back. Bend both the knees and bring them near your hips. Keep the palms by your sides, facing down on floor. Now, with the support of your palms pull up your back and hips. Remain in this position for a few seconds and support your back upwards with your limbs.
Relax and repeat 2-3 times. The stretching of lower back muscles imparts flexibility, releases tension and enhances the muscle and nerve function of the sciatic area.
Bhujangasana/Cobra Pose
Lie down straight on the floor, on your abdomen and forehead resting on the floor/mat. Keep your hands by your sides. Bend your hands, to bring the palms of both the palms by the sides of your chest, facing downwards. Inhale and adjust your body weight on both the palms, push up the upper body to make the elbows straight and stretched. Look up at the ceiling and breathe normally.
Maintain this position for a few seconds and come back to the initial position while inhaling. Repeat this 2-3 times. This pose can firm the hips and strengthen the spine to relieve sciatica pain. Use props such as a strap and bolster if you need extra support. If you do not have all these then you can use a scarf or belt as a strap and a stack of blankets or towels as a bolster.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.