5 Simple Yoga Poses For Sciatica Pain Relief

Sciatica pain is associated with the sciatica nerve which is in fact the longest nerve in the human body. It originates in the base of the spine and extends right up to the foot covering the thigh and calf muscles in between. Sciatica is a common ailment that may affect one or all. Mild effects of sciatica that you may often experience could be a tingling sensation in the legs or weakness in the knees. However, chronic sciatica causes extreme pain and discomfort and you may even find difficulty in movement. Primarily two factors are largely responsible for sciatica – first is herniation in the lumber spine for which you need to seek professional help as soon as possible and second is a tight piriformis muscle. Sciatica pain due to piriformis is more common and it can be subdued by practicing certain yoga postures that emphasizes stretching of the lower back. However, designing of exercises should be such that offers gradual improvement without aggravating the condition.

This Article Will Let You Know The Details Of Some Yoga Poses That Can Certainly Be Beneficial Sciatica Nerve Pain

1. The Staff Pose

The staff pose or dandasana is the simplest of all piriformis yoga poses wherein you have to sit on the floor with your legs drawn out and palms resting on the floor on either side of your hips to support the spine and shoulders. Bend your feet backwards that will enable the legs to get a good stretch. Straighten your back by stretching your spine to the optimum limit. Remain in this position for a few seconds. Once you begin to feel the strain gently come back to the original position.

2. The Standing Twist

This pose is the simplest and also the best for those who have difficulty bending. In this for stretching the right hip, the right side of the body should be next to the wall. The right foot should be kept on a chair that is placed sideways against the wall. The position of the right knee should be such that it makes an angle of ninety degrees approximately. The left leg must be kept straight and for maintaining balance the right hand should be placed on the wall. By slowly lifting the left heel the body needs to be turned towards the wall. Do not forget to use your hands for support all the time. While exhaling bring your left heel and body back to the original position. Repeat the procedure for stretching the left hip.

3. The King Pigeon Stretch

This hip stretch is the strongest of all the piriformis yoga stretches. To begin with you need to position your hands and knees in a manner that resembles a “downward facing dog”. Push the right knee forward so much so that the right foot aligns with the left hip and the right shin gets positioned at an angle of forty five degrees. In order to stretch the right piriformis, slowly push the upper body forward and at the same time gently slide the left leg backwards. Do not stop sliding until you feel your left toes touching the mat. Hold on to this position for anywhere between a few breaths to a minute after which you may come back to the original position and do the same for stretching the left piriformis.

4. The Seated Twist

This yoga pose is also called the simple seated twist for which you need to be in a seated position keeping your legs straight in front of you. The left leg should be bent at the knee and placed across the right leg. You can either keep the right leg straight or curled whichever is comfortable. Lean the upper body towards the upright knee which in this case is the left knee. The left hand should be placed on the mat behind you and at the same time the left knee should be held with your right elbow. Once you reach this position twist your upper body completely without rounding the back. However, you are advised not to overdo the twist as you may end up worsening the piriformis. Follow the same procedure on the right side of the body.

5. The Cow’s Face Pose

This is a passive stretch to the hip rotators and is also called the cow’s face pose or the Gomukhasana. For this you need to sit straight on the floor with your legs extended in the front quite similar to the staff pose or the dandasana. The next step is to bend the right knee and place it across the left leg. With the help of your right hand slowly draw the right foot towards the outer part of the left hip. The left foot should be placed a bit diagonally to the body and this can be achieved by moving the foot across the center line towards the right. Now with your knees stacked and placed one above the other (in this case right knee over the left) gently extend the spine as much as possible. Remain in this position for a few minutes and then release and repeat the same on the other side.