Running with sciatica sounds counterintuitive but it can be done and may be better for you in the long run. You need to pay attention to your symptoms and employ a few useful strategies to help you as you recover. Sciatica can really mess with your running routine. At times it can feel as if you’ll never be able to run again, but if you’re a keen jogger you can take some simple steps to enable you to keep pounding the pavements. Show Sciatica is usually linked to spinal nerve root irritation in the lower back which can spread to the buttock or hip and down the back of your legs. The motion of running can make sciatica symptoms worse, but conversely exercise has benefits which could also ease the pain. Running can help us lose weight, strengthen muscles in your legs, back and abdominal muscles. Becoming stronger in these areas can help alleviate the pain of sciatica and there are other ways by which you can reduce the risk of jogging irritating the sciatic nerve. Tips for running with sciaticaThe way you run can have a big impact on how much the “bouncing” action contributes to sciatic pain. Landing with force will lead to compression forces through the body so checking your running action and developing a smoother heal toe action with less bounce may be beneficial. It’s best to try running for a short distance at first to ascertain if the pain gets worse. If it doesn’t, you can go a little further and a little faster. It can be frustrating to build back up to your normal pace and distance at first, but it is well worth taking it steady. You need to work out how far and intense you can run without significantly aggravating your symptoms. What is too much? How long is a piece of string? This will vary for each individual. As a general rule discomfort increasing with time and distance is too much. Feeling ‘something’ but it does not increase with time and distance may be about right. The next step would be to monitor symptoms a few hours later and the next day. Are they more or less than before. If they have not increased then carry on. If they are worse you need to back off next time out. It can also help to reduce your stride length when running. Long strides may irritate the sciatic nerve by causing more flexion (bending) in the lower back while running. If the sciatica symptoms are due to lumbar nerve root irritation then while symptoms are present limiting the amount of flexion in the lower back while running may help. Running in worn-out shoes won’t help either. Opt for a pair of cushioned trainers which will reduce the pressure on your hips and knees each time your foot hits the pavement. It’s always important to warm up properly before you head out. Light exercises to get the muscles warm and activated by getting the blood pumping around the body and into the muscles that need it. Running on grass or soft ground can also help, so stay off the road if you can. A hot pack will help loosen up the muscles before you begin and remember to stay hydrated, as this is one of the most critical things to do when exercising. The benefits of running outdoors and getting fresh air is far the best way to enjoy running, but if you like running on treadmills and are not always able to get outside to run then it would be worthwhile taking time to research what to invest in or what is available in different gyms. The features of different machines could be beneficial or have an adverse impact on sciatica symptoms. A key feature to look out for will be cushioning and whether it is adjustable. The following blog discusses exercises machines that may be useful. Take inspiration You’re not alone. There have been lots of famous athletes who have suffered from back pain. Six-time Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt cited lower back pain as a factor holding him back from breaking his own 200-metre world record at the 2012 Olympics. Bolt even stopped training for a time in 2010 but still went on to win three gold medals in London two years later. As a general rule, episodes of lower back pain caused by a muscle strain or other soft tissue injury generally get better within two to three weeks. If pain lasts longer than that the patient may want to be evaluated by a spine specialist. This would give them some time frame. See Lower Back Pain Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Herniated discA herniated disc is a condition where the disc itself has begun to bulge or rupture, and begins to put pressure around a nerve. See What's a Herniated Disc, Pinched Nerve, Bulging Disc...? This is a condition that can be inflamed again by repetitive exercise such as running, and symptoms may progress to sciatica, which is a pain down the leg associated with numbness and tingling. If an athlete begins to develop these kinds of symptoms, particularly numbness, weakness or pain in the leg, they should quickly be evaluated by a spine specialist. These types of symptoms often will mandate an MRI to better evaluate the health of the lumbar discs. If a herniation is seen, the patient will usually be advised to stop high impact activities such as running or jogging. Physical therapy and Cortisone type injections may be useful to help symptom relief. Changing the workout to non-impact type exercises, or lower impact exercise, may also be helpful. advertisement Examples of low impact aerobic exercises for lower back pain include:
For cases of progressive sciatica (leg pain) where a disc is significantly impinging on a nerve, surgery may be considered. Surgery in these cases involves a microdiscectomy type approach, where a small fragment of disc is removed away from the nerve. This tends to be a very successful surgery in terms of relief of the leg pain and return to athletic activity. See How Microdiscectomy Surgery Is Performed In This Article:
The majority of athletically active patients who have a microdiscectomy to relieve nerve root irritation will return to their pre-injury level of performance, assuming that they have not sustained nerve damage from the injury. That is why it is important to obtain an evaluation in a timely fashion if neurological symptoms, such as progressive leg weakness or numbness, develop. A condition called foot drop is of particular concern. This occurs when an individual will begin to experience weakness or loss of strength in the leg, losing the ability to raise the foot at the ankle. In the long term, this type of condition can be very debilitating and surgery may be considered more urgently in order to minimize or avoid nerve damage. Degenerative Disc Disease and SpondylolisthesisSymptoms from both degenerative disc disease (DDD) and spondylolisthesis (a spondy), which may occur together, can also be exacerbated by running.
Over time with repetitive stress from regular running or jogging, either or both the degenerative disc and/or spondylolisthesis conditions that can become increasingly symptomatic. These conditions are more likely to affect older athletes, in the range of 40 to 60 years old. advertisement Again, if increasing lower back pain and/or sciatica develops after running, the individual is usually advised to change to a lower impact form of exercise and have a spinal evaluation. Sometimes |symptoms of degenerative disc disease and/or spondylolisthesis can be alleviated by core strengthening and proper exercises, and perhaps wearing an athletic brace. Sometimes the condition progresses and requires more progressive intervention in the form of back surgery. Again, these decisions are symptom-driven, often based on neurological status. Other conditions that can be inflamed by running include arthritic conditions of the lower back, such as arthritis or spinal stenosis. Can you run with a pinched nerve in your back?Can you still exercise with a pinched nerve? If you don't like to miss a workout, the good news is that you can still exercise with a pinched nerve. But you should take a break from movements that could cause further pain.
Can I exercise with a pinched nerve in lower back?“Exercise as a first-line option for a pinched nerve should always be recommended. It's low risk, something you can do on your own to improve your situation, and it's part of the long-term solution,” says Dr. Tambar.
Is it OK to jog with sciatica?Typically you can continue to run with mild or moderate levels of sciatica. Make sure to warm-up properly, keep the pace of your running easy. Focus on running with short strides to lessen the strain on your sciatic nerve. Always stop if running irritates your sciatic pain.
Can I still jog with lower back pain?In fact, running can be extremely beneficial if you have back pain. A 2014 study suggests that aerobic exercise can be considered a form of effective treatment for low back pain. Other studies have found that runners have stronger spines.
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Running with a pinched nerve in lower back
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