Back Stretch

Video with beginner to advanced version of this well known yoga pose, cobra.

It is great for strengthening and toning back muscles.
It starts with the easiest version for the total newbie and stiffer folk. Then she progresses through more advanced setup.

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Beginner Yoga Positions : Cobra Pose

This pose can be great for some types of back pain problems, but not so good for others. Along with strengthening your back muscles, it is also good for the lower abdominals and the muscles in your pelvis.

People with disc problems seem to benefit the most from cobra pose.

If you have facet joint problems, like example, spondylolisthesis, practice cobra pose cautiously, if at all. Facet joint problems tend to become irritated when the spine is arched. Check with your doctor or physical therapist to see if this pose is okay for your condition.

If you are a beginner, proceed tenderly. There is no reason to strain, regardless of your condition. If it hurts, stop right away. This pose, or any yoga pose, should be pleasant.

Child’s pose is a great follow up pose to do after cobra.

Sciatica Anatomy

In this video, Mr. Skeleton man, gives us an inner view of the workings of sciatica.

You can see exactly what causes sciatica pain.

Most sciatica pain issues start in the lumbar spine area, around the L4, L5, S1 discs. A disc bulge or herniation in this area, compromises the sciatic nerve as it exits the spine. You can clearly see these in the video.

The Major Cause

The majority of sciatica problems are due to trouble with the discs. Once you know the true cause of your sciatica pain there are a number of things you can do to improve the situation. Chiropractic, inversion therapy, spinal decompression, stretches and exercises are just a few options. Interferential therapy can help with the pain.

Consult with your personal health professional to explore your best options.

The Other Cause – Piriformis  Muscle

Another cause of sciatica, is tightness of the piriformis muscle. If this muscle gets knotted up it can cause pain all down the leg.

Sometimes the sciatic nerve actually goes through the muscle fiber of the piriformis. this situation is not very common, but can cause a lot of pain.

Understanding the Anatomy

Being able to see the anatomy of sciatic issues, can help understand the real cause of the pain.

The second part of the video shows a healthy disc vs a degenerated disc.

Special thanks to Dr George Best for making this video, and thanks to Youtube for allowing the embed code to be available to all.

McKenzie Exercises

McKenzie exercises offer hope for the sciatica sufferer.

This first video is targeted towards people who have sciatica due to a disc problem, like disc bulge or disc herniation.

Click here to see the second video, focusing on pain due to piriformis syndrome, and how to tell the difference between true sciatica and piriformis  syndrome.  Often the pain  symptoms are very similar, but the cause is different.

Dr George Best shares a demonstration and explanation of McKenzie exercises.

In this video, he covers the concept of centralisation. While doing McKenzie exercises, the pain should move away from the extremety and closer to the spine. This indicates progress is being made in the right direction. In other words, if the pain radiates from the spine all the way down the leg to the foot, you are looking for the pain to leave the foot area and move closer to the spine.

Basic McKenzie Exercise

The basic movement involves lying face down on a firm surface and propping yourself up with the arms. Very similar to the cobra pose in yoga.  This particular McKenzie exercise involves spinal extension. Some of the other McKenzie movements involve spinal flexion. Dr George is simply demonstrating a basic introductory move.

There are several different modifications that can be done, turning to the left or right. All the while paying attention to whether the pain gets closer to the spine and moves away from the furthest point from the back. Since everyone is different, experimentation is needed to figure out which position is best.

The positions are held 1-2 minutes. Never hold a position that makes the pain worse further down the leg.  Dr. George recommends practicing several times per day.

The Benefit of McKenzie

The idea is to squeeze the discs away from the nerves. With repeated times and repetition, the disc may become more stable and stay off the nerve. If you are lucky, over time the pain can work it’s way out of the leg, and eventually out of the back altogether.

This method is not for everybody. Consult with your personal health professional to see if this may be right for you.

Learn more about Dr. George Best here

Disc or Piriformis?

How do you tell the difference?
The symptoms are very similar, pain down the leg.

The cause or root problem can be different however.

Dr George Best shares 2 simple tests, to help tell the difference.

Sciatica Test

True Sciatica is caused by a disc problem in the spine. Generally you have a bulging disc problem, that is affecting the nerve.
Dr George’s test is to start by sitting in a chair. Bend at the knee, straightening the leg out in front of you. If this increases the pain in the low back, hip area, or causes pain to shoot down the leg, it generally indicates a disc problem. Stretching may not always be the best thing for disc related sciatica.

Piriformis Test

Often what is called sciatica, is really piriformis syndrome. The sciatica nerve runs past, or even through the piriformis muscle in some people. If this muscle gets tight, it can cause pain in the siciatic nerve, in the hip and all down the leg. Stretching can help loosen the the pirifomis, improving the pain situation. Frequent short stretches, throughout the day, are generally better than one long stretching session.

Both Disc and Piriformis

Some people can suffer from both disc related issues and piriformis at the same time.

Easing the Pain with Electrotherapy

Regardless of the cause, electrotheraphy can often be an angel of relief for many people. Interferential or TENS treatment can provide welcome pain relief, while other therapies are undertaken to promote healing of the root problem. To find out if electrotherapy is right for you, click here.

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