Tips for preventing sciatica in Walker, MI

Sciatica is a type of lower back pain that spreads into the back of one or both of your legs. It’s related to inflammation and irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is a nerve strand that stems from your lower back into your legs.

Pain from sciatica can make it difficult to comfortably move around or even sit and relax. Fortunately, there are treatments for sciatica that can help reduce the pain.

At Advent Physical Therapy in Walker, Michigan, our team can help people reduce sciatica pain. This is good news for people who already have the condition. However, you may want to make a few changes in your life to help prevent sciatica from ever developing in the first place.

Tips for preventing sciatic nerve pain

Sciatica is not always preventable. Conditions like a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease (DDD) or traumatic injury can cause sciatic nerve pain. However, there are steps you can take to reduce the chances of developing sciatica due to unnecessary pressure on your lower back, including:

• Drink plenty of water — The discs between the vertebrae in your spine are filled with a jelly-like fluid that helps cushion the vertebrae. This fluid is primarily made up of water. Drinking plenty of water helps keep these discs healthy, which can help prevent them from developing painful conditions that could cause sciatica.
• Quit smoking — Smoking is known to cause early development of DDD, which is a condition that usually affects people when they’re older.
• Improve your sitting posture — If you sit at a desk for long periods of time, you need to sit with good posture. Slouching in your chair puts pressure on your lower back that leads to sciatica. Instead, you need to sit with your back straight and your feet planted firmly on the ground. Keep your knees and hips level too. Also, don’t forget to stand up and move around regularly to help prevent tension in your back muscles.
• Exercise and stretch — Exercising and stretching the muscles in your lower back and core can help prevent tension and increase your strength and flexibility. This improves the support your muscles can provide for your spine, which helps prevent sciatica.

Visit Advent Physical Therapy in Walker for sciatica treatment

Despite your best prevention efforts, sciatica can still develop. If this happens to you, you can rely on professionals like our team at Advent Physical Therapy in Walker for help. Our physical therapists specialize in treatments that help reduce and prevent sciatica pain and other forms of lower back pain. Contact our team today for more information about sciatica treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.