Doing yoga has numerous benefits for both the mind and the body. It enhances body flexibility, tones muscles, and aids in weight loss. Moreover, it enhances athletic performance and promotes body vitality and energy production.
Doing yoga can help you treat sciatica pain, a serious health issue. The sciatic nerve, which is the largest in the body, stretches from the spine, through the tights, to the muscles of the feet. It can be accompanied by feet and leg stiffness, leg tingling and pinching, numbness, hip pain, low knee reflex, etc. Sciatica pain is often caused by a lumbar spine herniation.
8 Yoga poses that can help treat sciatica pain
Here are a few yoga poses, which can help you treat sciatica pain and relax your muscles:
1. The Standing Back Twist
Put one foot on a chair and place the arm on the raised knee. Hold the other hand on the other side. Rotate the body, making sure the hips are together. Remain in this position for half a minute.
2. The Knee Raise
Lie down on the back. Bend the knee to the chest, while keeping the other leg straight. Press the knee with your hands, but do not move the shoulders from the ground.
3. The Two Knee Twists
Lie down on the back and create the letter T with your arms. Turn the knees on one side, while keeping the shoulders on the floor. Hold for a minute. Do the same on the other side.
4. The Single Knee Twist
Lie down on the back and stretch one leg straight. Bend the knee of the other leg at a 90° angle and put the hand on the knee. Extend the hand to the opposite side.
5. The Twisted Lounge
Stand up and place one leg in front of the other. Bend the knee and lie down until you create two right angles with the legs. Hold for half a minute and repeat with the other leg.
6. The Seated Twist
Sit down on a mat. Bend one knee and place it on the top of the other knee. Place one hand behind you, and bend the other on the knee.
7. The Cat Pose
Sit down on all fours, lift the chest, while pulling the shoulders back. Inhale and hold this position for 10 seconds. Then, lift the back and keep it straight for 10 seconds.
8. The Child’s Pose
Lie down on the knees and arms. Stretch the arms in front of you. Remain in this position as long as you can.
For better results, do these yoga poses in the morning or the evening before going to bed. Besides these yoga poses, you can also try ice and heat therapy to treat sciatica pain. All you need to do is to apply an ice pack on the painful area for 15 minutes and then apply a heat pack for 15 minutes. Repeat the treatment every two hours.
