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Exercise for Sciatic Pain After Surgery

After surgery you may get a condition called sciatica, which is an inflammation of one of the five major nerves which run down the length of your spine and into your legs. This condition is extremely painful and may cause some loss of mobility. Luckily there are several exercises you can do to help alleviate the pain.

  1. Upper Body Lift

    • Begin by lying down on your stomach. While in this position, push your upper body up off the ground and rest on your elbows with your spine curved. Hold for five seconds and allow the pain to move up into your upper back. Then return to the neutral position. Next, hold your hands together behind your back and lift up your head and chest while looking at the floor. Hold this position for five seconds and release. Gently increase the duration of this lift as the pain decreases.

    Back Flexion

    • Begin by lying on your back and pull your knees into your chest. Hold this for a count of 30 while you feel a stretch in your back. Once complete, return to the relaxed position. As you get stronger and the pain begins to disappear, try lying on your back and simply tightening you stomach muscles into the floor; this will force your back into the floor. Hold this for five to ten seconds before releasing. Eight to ten repetitions will allow your back to regain strength.

    Hook-Lying March

    • While lying on your back on the floor, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. With your arms at your sides, compress your stomach muscles and raise your legs and move your feet in a marching motion. Do this for a count of 30, two to three times. Make sure you rest for 30 beats between repetitions. You can also add an extra step by lifting your arms above your head and raising and lowering the opposite arm over your head as you march.

    Torso Twist

    • Sit on the chair sideways with the right side of your body against the back of the chair. Sit up straight and exhale while twisting your body to grip the back of the chair. Then, widen your elbows and push the right side of the chair away from you while simultaneously pulling the left side of the chair into you. Look over your right shoulder and rotate your torso. Hold this pose for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

    Intense Side Stretch

    • Stand up straight against a wall with your arms straight out at shoulder height and your legs spread apart. Make sure you are facing away from the wall. Turn your right foot so it parallel with the wall and the outside of the foot is touching it and place a block behind it. Slightly turn your left foot into your body. Bend your right knee so that it is at a 90 degree angle and push your left arm so that it is away from your shoulder. Bend down to the right and place your right hand on the block. Stretch your left arm up and let it rest on the side of your head. Hold this for a count of 30, then relax. Repeat on the left side.

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