Sciatica is very common for those who have to work for a long time in a sitting position. Sciatica and low back pain can make you often uncomfortable especially when you sit for work or drive for a long time. The different positions you occupy throughout the day keep a significant effect on sciatica.
But the best sitting position for sciatica can help you to get relief from it though there are also some positions which can prolong your lower back pain and sciatica. So it is essential to know the right and wrong position.
I am informing about sciatica through this article and also discuss some sitting positions which will be accurate and helpful to get rid of it.
What Is Sciatica?
According to Wikipedia, the term sciatica usually describes a symptom of pain along the sciatic nerve pathway rather than a specific condition, illness, or disease. That means sciatica is a pain rise from the irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatic is a bundle of nerves, and it is the largest nerve of the human body. The sciatic include different nerves which branch off the spinal cord in the human body’s low back.
These nerves run across the buttocks, knee, and down the leg rising from multiple points in the lower spine. That’s why it becomes a little bit confusing when people said that they have pain in their leg because whether the pain feels in the foot, leg, or hip, it can come from the back.
What Are The Symptoms Of Sciatica?
There are different symptoms and signs to warn you about upcoming sciatica. You must be aware when you feel one or more symptoms from the following list. Some of the common symptoms are:
- Continuous pain in one leg or one side of the buttock.
- Sharp pains which may make it difficult to walk even don’t allow standing up comfortably.
- Searing, tingling or burning sensation in the leg.
- Sitting for a long time can be so tricky. Pain in the leg, hip, or back for long periods of sitting.
- Pain, numbness, or weakness in the toes, foot, or legs.
- Radiating pain in the affected leg and into the toes and foot also.
- Feel pain in the leg or back while bent forward to up anything.
Are you confused now how to sit with sciatica pain? These symptoms indicate that the wrong sitting position is one of the main causes of sciatica. Do you have any idea about what to do for sciatic nerve pain? If not then don’t worry, here I will discuss some best sitting positions for sciatica.
Best Way To Relieve Sciatic Nerve Pain
Persistent sciatic pain can be very terrible and also can destroy your regular work. This pain is quite irritating especially for those who have to work for a long time at the office desk. So everyone should be very conscious of sciatic symptoms and treatment. For your convenience here we will discuss some best ways to relieve sciatic nerve pain. Let’s start.
1. Make comfortable your sitting for sciatica
Sitting on a chair for an extended period can be harmful to your sciatica pain or spine. If you do a job where you have to sit for a long time, and then try to stand up every 20 minutes walk a few steps around your workspace.
Use a well-designed ergonomic chair for making your sitting more tolerable. You can choose the best recliner chair for a comfortable sitting. If your chair is not soft enough, then you can use a lumbar pillow for giving support to your flat back portion. A rolled-up towel can give you excellent support also.
Here are some simple tips to decrease sciatica pain during sitting:
- Try to that chair which has wheels and use them instead of turning and twisting your body.
- Keep your knees and hops at a 45-degree angle.
- Keep your toes flat on the floor.
- Do not cross your legs.
2. Stand up to feel comfortable
Variation of a position of your posture is the easy way to take care of your spine. So try to mix standing with sitting especially when you have to sit for a long time. If you pass the day by sitting, then it can invite many health problems with back pain including type 2 diabetes and obesity. Standing frequently during sitting has some more extra benefits. These are:
- Frequent standing from sitting position reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Standing position can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Another benefit of a standing position is that it helps to burn some excess calories.
3. Take a walk
Walking can be a good exercise for sciatica. Actually walking is such a kind of activity where your whole body parts move. Walking relieve sciatica by realizing the endorphins in the body system and also reduce the inflammation around the sciatic nerve roots. You can make a routine for a walk.
In your regular exercise include walking 3 to 4 times a week for 30 minutes. Stand straight and engage the lower back and abdominal muscle and start walking. If you take walking as a regular exercise for the first time, then you can begin it with a 5-minute walk and gradually increase it.
4. Give focus on your mind
Sometimes sciatica can continue for an extended time, but a type of mental pain control technology can help to get relief quickly from the symptom. The methodology is that if your brain can overlook the signs and focused on something else, then your feelings of the pain will not be so much.
Meditation, mental imagery, and other techniques can make light the levels of pain. You can do 2 to 3 minutes of breathing controlling practice for reflection in a quiet room. It is quite beneficial for diverted the feelings of anxiety on other things.
5. Keep your work close to you
Laptop, desktop, files, or paper whatever you use for your work, to avoid bending forward try to keep close to your work. Because forward bending for a long time can increase your sciatic nerve. To stay away from sciatica rest your arms and elbows on the desk and keep the shoulders relaxed.
6. Following tips are for the computer user
You should follow some sciatica-friendly computer workstations to stay away from this horrible pain. If you have to work at a computer for a long time then the following tips will be helpful for you:
- Choose such type of chair which has nice back support.
- Keep your keyboard along with mouse close to you so that you dont need to bend to reach them.
- Set your monitor at your eye level in front of you.
7. Muscle smart with sciatica
Try to keep your muscles less moving or limited moving like picking up a table or pushing a sofa. Carrying luggage, groceries, briefcase even a purse can present a challenge. To avoid getting extra pressure on your muscles, you can take an equal amount of weight. It will make a balance on both sides, and additional pressure cannot affect your muscles.
8. Improve your posture
Sitting for a long time in the same position can put extra stress on your sciatic nerve and lower back portion. Learning how to sit comfortably with sciatica and with proper posture can prevent many unexpected problems. Here we listed some positions best sitting position for sciatica and spine health.
- Keep your knees slightly elevated during sitting will decrease the pressure on your spine.
- Ergonomic office chair can be beneficial for sciatica. It can give better support to your spine and sciatic nerve than a regular chair.
- You can use a standing desk a few times a day can also be very beneficial.
- If there isn’t any problem in your posture, avoid walking and stretching around your spine frequently.
9. Sleep is also important for sciatica
After passing a long stressful day, you may need the best recliners to relax and comfortable sleep. Do you know how to sleep with sciatica pain? The soft and lumpy mattress may not able to give proper support to your spine. So try to choose such kind of bedding which can make you fit for the next day with sound sleep.
Bottom line
Sciatica is such kind of problem that if you cannot be resolved in the beginning, then it can take a terrible form. Thats why you should learn about sciatica symptoms and treatment so that you can get relief from it soon.
We have discussed some home applicable best sitting positions for sciatica that can make you comfortable. So try to follow them properly to stay relax and stress-free.
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