sciatic nerve pain,

Retired Member southey

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jun 4, 2006
11,098
13
your house!
Wheat bags! Get a proper long one (without Lavender if possible) hot as you can and try to find the best position for it - I find its along the arch of my pelvis on the affected side. Heat is your friend!

As a side note; If you are ever in a car accident and end up on a gurney in A&E with one of those neck braces on, be very careful about telling them when your sciatica plays up.
I ended up on my side with my trousers round my knees and some young chap with his thumb where the sun doesn't shine. I think they were all too young to know why I started singing 'Moon River'.
Apparently it's to make sure you can still 'clench' to test for lumbar spine damage - though he was smiling when he explained!!

Did he at least call!

This morning it was agony as all things inflamed are after you've slept, walking round and doing Para106s stretch every now and then has shown it to be my left leg, and in the butt cheek, I reckon I didn't stretch off properly after running the other day, I had finished on a hill session and rushed the warm down, off to the gym tonight to sit on a bike for a bit and a swim(in the shallow end encase of ceasing up:D)
 

para106

Full Member
Jul 24, 2009
701
8
68
scotland
Hi Southey, for what it's worth, I'd give the bike a miss. I'm also a qualified Personal Trainer - not that I claim to be an expert. In fact I'd not have you doing anything that puts pressure on the Glutes or Piriformis as that may put pressure on the Sciatic Nerve. From what you're saying, mate, it could be a problem with the Piriformis that's causing the problem with the SN. If you HAVE to go to the gym I'd suggest light exercise using a Gym Ball instead of a bench or seat. This would help with your core & proprioperception which would help with your current problem. Try something that involves lying on a gym ball, that'll seperate the vertebrae in your lumbar region & may ease the SN. If you're going to use weights, halve (at least) your current load as a spasm with 70kg will do a lot more damage than 25/30kg plus you won't be able to handle your current load on a gym ball - the difference is telling. It'll help your technique too.

If you were coming to me at the gym I'd be starting off with a Sports Massage to isolate the problem & working out a programme in line with whatever treatment or stretching regime we decided on based on particular muscle groups affected. I'd stop you running too, doing more harm than good in your condition. Just my tuppence worth Southey & not Gospel without getting my mitts on you!!

I don't do Personal Training or Sports Massage full time anymore as, whilst the need's greater in Scotland, the will to pay for it is a lot less than in England!!!! Cheers.
 
Last edited:

Retired Member southey

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jun 4, 2006
11,098
13
your house!
Many thanks matey, I will bin the bike for the mean time, would you reckon id be okay having a swim though, just some leisurely lengths, I have at least been ordered out of the house for a bit this evening as I nearly drove wifely to murder last night:D
 

para106

Full Member
Jul 24, 2009
701
8
68
scotland
Should be OK as the water will be supporting the weight of your legs. Have a stretch before starting though or a good sauna. Good idea to start by hanging on to the side first & doing a few mins of just legwork - if you're gonna spasm it will early doors & usually not when you've warmed up. Be careful - you can still get in a lot of trouble in 3' of water, stretch after & hit the sauna again if you can. Or take a cushion & just go to the pub.......you don't lose all your fitness by just walking for a week;)
 

swotty

Full Member
Apr 25, 2009
1,880
249
Somerset
I suffered with back pain and sciatica for about twenty years and tried everything, physio, chiropractor etc.....GP was useless as they don't want to spend the money!

Then about five years ago I went for acupuncture and after about four sessions it seemed to sort my back.....I haven't had the sciatica since and although my back sometimes goes into spasm it is nowhere near as painful as it used to be.

So, acupuncture.....it worked for me!
 

Lifthasir

Forager
Jan 30, 2006
130
0
55
East Yorks
three stretches that worked wonders for me are:

1. lie on the ground on your back and simply bend one knee towards your chest, put your hands on your knee to pull it a bit further if you can. When you don't have a bad back, this stretch feels pointless, but if you have, then it can feel like bliss
2. lie on front in press up position, look up and push yourself up till your arms lock whilst keeping your pelvis pushed to the ground - again, it feels lush when it is working. Do the above stretch when you've finished with this one
3. sit on a hard chair (kitchen chair not armchair), cross one ankle over the other and simly lean forward towards your feet a little, you should feel this pull across your buttock.

Hold all stretches for as long as you feel comfortable. Repeat several times each session and do it several times a day.
 

Retired Member southey

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jun 4, 2006
11,098
13
your house!
Many thanks for the advice chaps, feeling much better now, stiff after staying stillish for any length of time like sleeping or watching a film, doing penty of walking and stretches have eased any little niggles, :D
 

Lordyosch

Forager
Aug 19, 2007
167
0
Bradford, UK
On the morning of 30 Dec last year I was lying in bed and coughed. Its now almost the end of May and I still haven't fully regained the use of my left leg. Sciatica is a B**ch!

I regularly see a physio and I attend Pilates every week. It took me a good three months to be walking propely -with barely a limp but I still can't run very fast of goe on tiptoes on my left foot.


For me, the best thing has been the Pilates exercise and building strength in my deep stomach muscles, they seem to keep everything in place.


Jay
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,995
29
In the woods if possible.
FWIW I'd stay out of the driving seat as much as possible. There's nothing worse for a bad back than sitting still in that position.

If it gives more trouble I'd see a professional. It's easy for us to spout remedies on here but we can't do a proper examination and diagnosis so there's a risk of incorrect advice.
 
Last edited:

Retired Member southey

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jun 4, 2006
11,098
13
your house!
No worries there chap,

I always take any advice from any forum as a chat with a bloke down the pub. By which I mean as well intended and professional it may be, I have no means of verifying the credentials of the poster. As anyone can assume any identity on line.

Its one reason why I only ever offer my opinion of what works for me. :)
 

NetFrog

Forager
Jul 17, 2011
189
0
Scotland
Like I said before, mines been playing up for 3/4 weeks. First time it has happened :///// However I went camping last Thurs and sleeping on a hard sandy bed seems to have done the trick, prior to that walking 1k out of a 15k walk seemed to help too and it was better for a few days after that. So far out of a few weeks of it annoying me, the only thing that has really helped is what would almost seem the opposite. Antagonise it, kick it in the face, do things you think you should not be doing. Stretch the **** out of your back by going doing some fun and if its like mine it seems to get better..... (or is this the reason?!)

Give it a boot.
 

mark oriel

Bushcraft company
From what you have said, wrong stepping it sounds like your sacro iliac joint. sometimes a sudden jolt when running can be enough to cause an "upslip" in the ilium or pelvis. This can then cause presure or swelling on the sciatic nerve reulting in the typical horrible pain down the leg. If it is really only down the one leg then it is more likely to be either sacro iliac dysfunction. The causes of this can be anything from tight piriformis,hamstrings hip flexors or adductors. Or it can be in very many cases overpronation of the feet, this is where the arch rolls in, the leg then internally rotates and cause the si joit at the rear to be under pressure.

If the pain is bilateral or down both legs then it can be L5 S1 which is where the nerve originates from, this can be more serious, it will hurt just the same but the outcome can be more complicated. Areally good simple test is to,
Stand upright then lift your thigh to waist height allowing your knee to bend
Then take your leg behind you into extension, do not bend foward while doing this.
If the pain is increase significantly on either of these exercises, then it is more likely to be SI joint.
If bending from the waist causes pain and the cause is sudden then it is possibly disc at L5 S1
If leaning back causes pain it could be facet pain, the little joints on the side of the back.
Self treatment,
Anti inflamatories, stretching as the other guys advised and look at your foot strike in bare feet infront of a mirror, if rolling in,get orthotics(insoles).
If the symptoms don't settle down within a few days, its worth getting treatment. If treatment does'nt resolve it and the pain is constantly radiating down the leg it is worth getting an MRI, at present private £200.00 ish.
Hope it helps southey
 

swright81076

Tinkerer
Apr 7, 2012
1,702
1
Castleford, West Yorkshire
I did the same thing a couple of years ago turned out to be my si joint. The exercises listed my mark below are what I was given by gp. Worked for me.
Mine was caused by lifting a disabled scooter into back of pajero at full stretch.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 

Lordyosch

Forager
Aug 19, 2007
167
0
Bradford, UK
Just ree read this thread. Since my last post of about a year ago, I've continued with Pilates and I genuinely think its the best thing I've done for my back.

I'm walking properly, have not had more than the slightest back ache all year. Best one been for 10-15 years I'd say.

Still have some weakness in left ankle (got lazy with the heel lifts!) And due to this sprained it a month ago.

When this is supported its back on the exercise for me!

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 2
 
Jul 3, 2013
399
0
United Kingdom
Something I get regularly. My solution - which might sound a bit odd at first - is to put a cricket ball on the floor and then lie on it to drive it in to the spasm'd muscles in the small of my back and my backside. Then I take two Ibuprofen and go to bed, and in the morning twist each way until, usually, the problem releases with an almighty 'snap!'
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE