Posts Tagged ‘sciatica’

Sciatica is a condition occurring among people who are subjected to sit or stand for prolonged periods of time. Both affect the spinal cord which in turn affects the sciatic nerve. When this nerve gets compressed, the result can be extreme pain. The sciatic nerve is located at the bottom of the spinal cord, which bears the weight of the trunk. The triangular bone through which the sciatic nerve passes may deteriorate over time which leads to its compression pains. When this happens back pains emerge. The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve and it reaches down to the foot. So there are many positions other than the spinal cord where it might get damaged due to pressure which leads to several problems like pain in the base of the spine, the buttocks, and the back of the thigh and legs and even causes a tingling sensation in the toes.

This condition however, is somewhat dependent on occupation. The most likely candidates are the ones having a sedentary lifestyle. Stressful work environments are breeding grounds for this kind of a condition. Also certain habits are known to cause this condition. One of them is crossing of legs for a long period of time, which puts pressure on the sciatic nerves. Common early symptoms are numbness of limbs for a short period and tingling sensation in the toes.

Obesity is another reason. The weight of a person is borne by the spine cord, so having excessive weight puts the skeletal system over undue pressure. Other ramifications of being obese are broken bones and loss of balance.  Eventually the backbone gets weak and it ultimately bends or in worst case gets broken.

Age is another contributing fact. With age the density of bone decreases and so the bones become brittle. These broken or fractured bones press against the sciatic nerves and hence cause sciatica.

Now, although at first glance all these information might make a person believe that sciatica cannot be avoided, there are certain exercises which one can do to keep this agonizing condition at bay. Posture plays an important role. There are certain guidelines available to maintain the correct posture while will help in minimizing the pressure put on the lumber region.

Also maintaining a proactive and healthy lifestyle goes a long way in reducing the chances of occurrence of this ailment. One should exercise on a daily basis. There are certain exercises to relieve the tension in our necks, backs and legs, that one can do even while sitting in a chair. So one should try to keep all these facts in mind and try to adhere to a balanced lifestyle.