It’s alway struck me as funny when I hear that people believe that it is acceptable to suffer with lower back pain. When people are in pain and discomfort it seems to chip away at their logic and reasoning. This is usual as the sensation of acute pain is the only thing you can think of and if not acute you certainly are reminded of it more than once in a day. 

I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to be like that. Let’s get you moving and into a better standard of living where pain does not rule over you like a tyrant. Demanding that you succumb to its way of thinking, making you hold back on living your life freely without discomfort. 

Let us reconnect your brain with your body and your body to the outside world without hesitation or fear. Let’s start living and get rid of this feeling of having to manage week after week and month after month with pain and discomfort. 

Sciatica.

I see people every day complaining that they have sciatica, and sure some of the are right. Sciatica is a pain with either pins and needles, numbness or weakness down the back of the leg caused by a problem in the lower back.

The site of pain runs along with the sciatic nerve, which starts in the lower back (spine) into the buttocks, down the back of the leg to behind the knee, turns to the outside of your shin then finishes at the big toe.

Now, if you are experiencing pain, or any symptoms that are present at the inside, outside or front of the thigh, this is not sciatica. These other symptoms could be caused by altered mechanics due to sciatica or simply be from irritation from another source other than the sciatic nerve. 

Movement patterns. 

There are many reasons that you cold have back pain, but to have prolonged back pain is usually directed to you not moving. The catch 22: you need to move to get rid of the pain but when you move you get pain. 

Let’s try and reestablish your missing movement patterns within the remits of your dysfunction, which you can do safely and without pain.

Movement Prep.

Do this exercise in the comfort of your own home and preferably by yourself as you’re going to look a bit foolish. 

If you have one, stand in fort of a mirror. 

Try to allow your feet to relax and withstand the need to force your feet militarily parallel. 

Breath into your tummy, this will help you relax your shoulders. Have a slight bend in your knees and keep your knees still. Then try and feel the force of the floor pushing against the soles of your feet.

The movement.

Try and rock you pelvis backwards and forwards, while keeping your upper body still, maintaining a slight bend in your knees. As your bottom sticks out you are lengthening the abdomen and as your bottom tucks underneath you, you feel a lengthening in the base of your back.

Once you have the hang of this we will implement the rib cage in time with the pelvis. As your bottom sticks out (still with a slight bend of the knees) squeeze your shoulder blades together. You will notice that your chest will lift up, and the should feel a greater lengthening in your abdomen.

Then, tuck your bottom underneath you and allow both your shoulders to push forward (at this point ensure you are not bending forward from your hips and waist). You will notice that your chest will sink, and the should feel a greater lengthening in your back..

There is more to come with this exercise, but try this for 1 minute 3 times a day and see how you feel over the next week. Then we can add in some more funky stuff.