by KATE SERODIO, DPT
Does Pre-Covid-19 seem like forever ago? We’re now in week 4 and many of us are feeling like it’s been an eternity. We no longer have our luxury at work desks, chairs, and routines. But instead we’re left in our personal homes with our new work stations consisting of high top stools, a recliner, the couch, kitchen table, or your home office chair which you’re sure is the reason you’re now having some weird pain/sensation on the outside of your leg. To make our working conditions even more complicated many of us have children that interrupt you with every other thought. In fact, this tiny paragraph took me an hour to write secondary to the constant interruption and demands of the children’s online learning and my newly appointed position of Head of Homeschooling. I miss the day when I had no idea what a zoom meeting was! 🙂
We are all on the struggle bus together! We have no idea how long this ride will be but hopefully we can get off at the next stop, May 4th, right? In the meantime, I’d like to help you with a simple adjustment you can make to help you get rid of your back or leg pain and or prevent it from ever happening.
Many of us, including myself, are experiencing sciatic pain. Sciatic pain can present itself in many ways. You could have pain anywhere from localized to your back to all the way down your leg to your foot. The pain could be mild to severe and present itself as numbness, tingliness, burning or a pulling/tight feeling. Nerves are complicated and don’t always make sense. But if they’re starting to talk to you it’s very important that you don’t ignore them as they will soon become very angry and make sure you have no choice but to listen. Anyone that has had a severe case of sciatica knows what I’m talking about.
So, what can you do to keep your back and sciatic nerve happy?
Above is a video I made, showing you 3 tIps on things you can change immediately in your home office or living room! (ALSO EXPLAINED BELOW)
TIP #1 Sit on a wedge or pillow: this increases the angle at your hips and decreases the neural tension on your sciatic nerve. Sitting at a 90deg will actually put more pull/strain on the nerve. The goal is to have your knees lower than your waist putting you more into a standing position vs sitting. You should feel an immediate relief in your back and if you have any leg symptoms going on they should also be reduced or completely eliminated.
TIP #2 Don’t sit so long! Set a timer for 20minutes. Or drink so much water that your bladder puts you on a timer. Your body isn’t meant to be in any one position for longer than 20minutes. You’re asking for trouble if you go beyond this time. Get up and move/change positions or how about you stretch!
TIP #3 stretch? Yes, one the best things you could do for your back to prevent constant disc bulging from sitting is to do the opposite of what you’ve been doing for the past 20+minutes. Yes, stand up and simply arch backwards. Repeat 20x
STAY SAFE & HAPPY! We are open if you need us… just call!
(image of woman sitting image above by freepik – www.freepik.com)
