How Important is Exercise For Sciatic Nerve and Back Pain Sufferers?

spinal stenosis

For back or sciatic nerve pain sufferers, exercise plays a vital and critical role in building a strong midsection or core and lower back muscles so they can lend support to the spinal column, ligaments, vertebrae, discs and nerves. This added support will take a lot of pressure off these areas and reduce pain.

But is exercise really that important? The answer is an emphatic YES! Exercise is that important because it allows bone and muscle of the spine to grow and strengthen. And bone and muscle will only grow and strengthen if the right kinds of forces are applied to them.

Stronger bones and more active muscles will lend greater support for your spine and reduce back pain. A good analogy is a roof supported by pillars. If the pillars supporting the roof are weak and brittle, the roof will begin to collapse. You need strong pillars of support for your spine. You need strong bones and very active muscles. I say "active" muscles because, for most people, muscles in the lower back, gluteus, and pelvic region are seldom used. This is not their fault. They are seldom used because they are not doing the right kinds of exercises to stimulate these muscles.

Stretching alone is not really effective for relieving back or sciatic nerve pain in the long-term. People say to me, "I stretch all the time and yet I still have back pain. Please help." I'm not surprised. Stretching might help with immediate or temporary relief from back pain but it alone is not a long-term solution for back pain. Why? This is mainly because muscles that are stretched will get tight again without growing or getting stronger. And as far as I know, stretching does not directly increase bone density or strength.

Stretching should be combined with exercise for greatest effect on the body. Warm muscles full of oxygen will stretch much easier than cold muscles without a full supply of oxygen. This is common knowledge for most people but it is extremely important to keep in mind while trying to get rid of back or sciatic nerve pain. For instance, in between a set of squats (I will talk more about squats later) I will always stretch my quads. I will stretch my calves. I will even stretch my back. I will grab a bar above me at the gym and just hang there for several seconds to really stretch my back. This is similar to decompression therapy where you allow your spine and muscles to really stretch out.

Bottom Line: Performing the right kinds of exercises and stretching in between sets stimulates an essential core group of muscles (i.e., quads, hamstrings, adductors, sartorius, piriformis, glutes, abs, back muscles, etc) for maximum gains; conditions the muscles or trains them to become more relaxed and less constricted when you are not exercising; and increases bone density and strength. If you can achieve this bottom line, you are well on your way to a much healthier back that will last a lifetime.

Squats are a great way to strengthen your entire midsection and lower back as well as help you achieve this "bottom line." I find squats to be one of the most challenging exercises. If you can get through an intense workout of squats you can get through any exercise at the gym. At first I was a little hesitant to mention them because you may be turned off by the thought of doing squats. You have to be a little crazy to do them. I have actually dragged myself out of bed on several occasions at 4:30 in the morning to go to the gym and do squats. While most peopleare snoring away, I've got anywhere from 225-345 pounds on my back. And then I still have a long day of work in front of me. It may sound like I'm a glutton for punishment but it helped me build a strong foundation and support system for my lower back.

Now I'm not saying you need to go to the gym at 5 in the morning like me and try to squat a car. Many of you may not feel comfortable doing squats especially if you are suffering from a herniated disk or sciatic nerve pain right now. That is fine. In fact, you shouldn't do squats with added weight right now if you are trying to heal a herniated disk or you suffer with sciatica or sciatic nerve pain. It's just too dangerous; but after your disk(s) heals or your sciatica subsides, you should definitely add them in to your exercise routine to strengthen and maintain all the areas of your spine.

You don't have to do squats at the gym either. You can do them right at home. Just cross your arms, squat down and go right back up. If your back is healthy right now, I would suggest even grabbing a can of food from your pantry, a dumbbell, or a heavy book to use as a weight while doing squat exercises. This will add resistance. Be sure to hold the weight, whatever it is, very close to the middle part of your chest. Just squat down slowly until your thighs are parallel with the floor and rise back up. You must keep your back arched and your weight on your heels or the balls of your feet. Do this as many times as you feel comfortable. Take a break and do them again. Be sure to concentrate on your balance and try to keep your midsection flexed throughout the exercise. If you've never done squats before, have a family member or friend make sure you are doing them correctly.

WARNING: If you are suffering from a back injury of any kind, please be sure to consult your doctor or fitness specialist first before doing squats or any weight-bearing exercise.

If you take full advantage of squats, you will build a stronger midsection, gluteus muscles, lower back, and quadriceps. And besides burning a lot of calories you will achieve the bottom line that we talked about earlier.

Bottom Line: Performing the right kinds of exercises and stretching in between sets stimulates an essential core group of muscles (i.e., quads, hamstrings, adductors, sartorius, piriformis, glutes, abs, back muscles, etc) for maximum gains; conditions the muscles or trains them to become more relaxed and less constricted when you are not exercising; and increases bone density and strength. If you can achieve this bottom line, you are well on your way to a healthier back without sciatic nerve pain that will last a lifetime.

Oh and be sure to use common sense if you are lifting weights. It took me several weeks before I really reaped the benefits from an exercise like squats. Always start out with lighter weights and always wear back support. I have never lifted heavy weights without a back brace for support. If you are lifting real heavy weights at the gym, make sure you have someone there just in case. The point is not to injure your back but to strengthen it.