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Thread: Sciatica treatment

  1. #1
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    Unhappy Bloody sciatica!

    Afternoon All

    Here are all my current woes. During the Lyke Wake Race on July 11th I was forced to retire with a pain that began in my butt and subsequently spread down the outside of my entire leg eventually grinding me to a halt. It's not what I would call excruciating pain but it's enough to force me to stop running. My GP diagnosed sciatica and recommended physio. After waiting over 3 weeks for NHS physio I decided to go private and have received three half hour sessions of 'manipulation' to date. Apparently the problem stems from stiffness in my lower back and I'm working on loosening that up at the moment. I'm managing to get out on the mountain bike regulalry and have slowly built back up to 3x25 min hill runs per week. However the niggles in the same areas still seem to persist. My frustration at not being able to do 'proper' fell running is now beginning to boil over. I've never suffered from this condition before and would like to hear advice from others who may have had similar complaints. Does it ever fully disappear or am I now stuck with it? Should I take pain killers and just run with it? Should I simply ignore the pain and just get out there and tough it out?

    Yours very frustrated

    Smoggy

  2. #2
    Senior Member stumpy's Avatar
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    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Smoggy - you are not alone!

    One of the key things in dealing with many back problems is focussing on building up your core strength. As my phsio put it, its like putting scaffolding up round a frail building! I suffered from back problems, including sciatica for years, including one time where I couldn't run for six weeks. Generally though I put up with it until it just got too painful too often. After cutting back on hilly runs for several weeks (particlalry downhills), and combining this with a fairly intensive programme of core stability exercises (i use a stability ball 3 times a week which focusses on the whole core area). After a few months of this I've now been largely pain free for many months and am back running at my best - it's also helped give me a bit of a six pack too!

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    Smile Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Cheers for your thoughts Stumpy.

    I'll question my physio about core stability when I see him next Monday. Likewise, I also notice that the problem seems worse after a descent.

    Find a way or make one.

    Smoggy

  4. #4

    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Quote Originally Posted by stumpy View Post
    core stability exercises (i use a stability ball 3 times a week which focusses on the whole core area). After a few months of this I've now been largely pain free for many months and am back running at my best - it's also helped give me a bit of a six pack too!
    in my experience of sciatica this is key

    it depends what's causing it - in my case two prolapsed discs - but developing the inner core muscles so they support the base of the spine, as recommended by my physio, did the job

    Having v strong abs is not core strength, it's actually taking those out of the equation and getting the little muscles around the spine to strengthen and react when they're needed

    how you do it is another Q: if you can tuck your core in (think trying to hold back a piss) while jogging, that's a great exercise

    think I'm lucky cos it takes extreme exercise to aggravate my sciatica now - running is fine

    but it can be a right bitch

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    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Strangely, my physio hasn't discussed the 'holding back a piss' option. Thanks for your suggestions, some interesting ideas that I'll discuss with my physio on Monday.

    Cheers

    Smoggy

  6. #6

    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Quote Originally Posted by smoggy View Post
    Strangely, my physio hasn't discussed the 'holding back a piss' option. Thanks for your suggestions, some interesting ideas that I'll discuss with my physio on Monday.
    heh, well he / she might not recognise that particular exercise - but it's the one that contracts the pelvic floor - like when you (*ahem, ladies*) draw in your balls.

    this is a good little summary of core stability here

    but we're getting ahead of ourselves maybe cos not all sciatic pain is caused by disc problems - but it's the most common cause. (Doesn't mean it's permanent though, some disc faults heal themselves.)

    this is what BBC has to say on sciatic pain

    maybe see if your physio can organise an MRI scan, which might reveal what the cause is? Have you had any sort of accident or jarred your back recently?

    in answer to your other questions - anti-inflamms like diclofenac are usually prescribed to treat sciatic pain. I find they help. You might be OK with just ibuprofen. I've run a couple of races dosed up on diclofenac and co-drydamol: probably not the best idea, but it worked.

    Icing the base of the spine also helps - cos that is where the nerve is being irritated even though the pain goes down the leg.

    And keeping moving and active is usually recommended but be careful with rotating exercises - where you are twisting around your spine - and stuff like sit-ups / crunches.

    hope this helps
    Last edited by ZootHornRollo; 16-10-2009 at 11:14 AM.

  7. #7
    Orange Pony Hanneke's Avatar
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    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Smoggy, not necessarily sciatica that causes your complaints... From what you describe and how it came on, I am more inclined to go with tight hamstrings/tight lower back/tight piriformis...

    Just to simplify things for easy understanding: the sciatic nerve runs through your pelvis and the muscles there can press on it, causing the pain down your leg. It will go away with specific stretches of butt, lower back and hamstrings.

    Obviously, I can't diagnose you properly without actually seeing you and taking a proper history, but check it out with your physio... if you get no response from your physio, pm me and I can give you some stretches that may help, but... with a disclaimer! As I haven't actually seen you...
    “the cause of my pain, was the cause of my cure” Rumi

  8. #8
    Senior Member stumpy's Avatar
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    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Quote Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo View Post

    Having v strong abs is not core strength, it's actually taking those out of the equation and getting the little muscles around the spine to strengthen and react when they're needed

    how you do it is another Q: if you can tuck your core in (think trying to hold back a piss) while jogging, that's a great exercise
    That's a very good point ZHR - the core stability exercises I do work both the innner and outer muscles front side and back. My physio actually said that part of my original problem may have resulted from just doing ab crunches without any balance elsehwhere....

  9. #9

    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Quote Originally Posted by stumpy View Post
    My physio actually said that part of my original problem may have resulted from just doing ab crunches without any balance elsehwhere....
    aye likewise here

  10. #10
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    Re: Bloody sciatica!

    Thanks ZHR, I am definitely keeping active (I'd go insane if I didn't.) Thanks for all the info you've posted, very helpful.
    Hanneke - it's really interesting what you say. Before I attended my first physio session I did a lot of reading around and was more inclined to believe that the problem was piriformis syndrome (but what do I know!), given that the pain always begins in my butt and is consistently the most painful area. I'll let you know what the outcome of my next appointment is.

    Many thanks

    Smoggy

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