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Old 07-03-15, 01:11 AM  
calendria
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
glute exercises and sciatica

Whenever I do glute exercises in a full body workout, or a lower body workout, I get really bad sciatica/piriformis pain.

any ideas on how to deal with this?
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Old 07-03-15, 02:12 AM  
Taiga
 
Join Date: May 2006
Gentle foam rolling and stretching of the hip/buttock/leg regions (when you are not in the middle of a flare) will often help. Also, gentle stretching of that region throughout any workout that focuses on those muscles. Don't wait for the instructor----just pause and stretch along the way.

Your doctor may also be able to prescribe physical therapy if appropriate. Since you have mentioned stiffness/flexibility issues in the past, you might also ask your doctor about checking your vitamin D (and possibly B12) levels. Hypovitaminosis can contribute to muscle and joint stiffness. HTH.
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Old 07-03-15, 08:23 AM  
DeepSeaSue
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
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I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this. Sciatica is no fun. As Taiga said, foam rolling will help and stretching is definitely key. I find the stretches that help me the most are "figure 4" and pigeon.

At the risk of sounding preachy, if the foam rolling and stretching don't help, it may be a good idea to back off the moves that are causing you pain. I had what started off as sciatica a few years ago and I ignored it and "worked through the pain". It led to permanent nerve damage and I'll never again be 100%. (I'm not at all saying this will happen to you or anyone else with sciatica. I just wish someone had given me this advice when I was figuring out what to do. Just take it easy and listen to your body.)
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Old 07-03-15, 09:21 AM  
Gibbee
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Sometimes foam rolling can make it worse. I'd check w/ a doctor (preferable a sports med doc or someone who shares a workout passion... physical therapist maybe?) to see what they think.
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Old 07-03-15, 10:07 AM  
andtckrtoo
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Island off the NC Coast
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeepSeaSue View Post
I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this. Sciatica is no fun. As Taiga said, foam rolling will help and stretching is definitely key. I find the stretches that help me the most are "figure 4" and pigeon.
This. I have to do pigeon, stretch my hip flexors, and my hamstrings to avoid sciatic nerve pain.
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Old 07-03-15, 10:23 AM  
MsThistlebottom
 
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I agree with seeing a doc or PT to see what might help the most because every body is different.

I have moderate piriformis flare-ups from time to time, always on my right side, which is tight. I've used foam rolling, moist heat, massage--all of which helped to some extent but didn't stop the pain. My go-to now is the lower extremities section from James Knight's Gentle Yoga through Somatic Exploration. Amazingly, all it takes (for me) is a session or two, and it completely eliminates the pain.
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Old 07-03-15, 11:05 AM  
luvcritters
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I agree with seeing the doctor suggestions. I had sciatica pain for 10 years or more. I tried everything anyone could think of. Pilates helped for awhile but not long enough. The only thing that got rid of it was spinal epidural injections. Your best bet is a doctor to figure out what's causing the pain. You can't fix it until you know what's wrong.
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Old 07-03-15, 12:07 PM  
SweatyGirl
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I do foam rolling, hip, hamstring, and calf stretches and yin yoga, and nerve flossing stretches (youtube sciatica nerve flossing)--it's basically a lower leg lift.

I have to do all of this regularly to stay pain-free. If I had to choose one thing it would be Grilley's Yin Yoga, the hip section. It's incredibly slow but it makes it so I barely notice the pain.
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Old 07-03-15, 04:40 PM  
Jane P.
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I was going to suggest nerve flossing but I see someone already has. If you can consult with a physical therapist, it might be a good idea.
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