Sciatica

S

Susan53

Member
I posted this under the Piriformis heading yesterday but it has gotten lost.....and is an old post anyway so I thought I'd start again under a new heading. :)

I do indeed have sciatica according to my doctor. I sure did know that the sciatic nerve was being involved! He didn't pin point the source of it but says there is no risk of permanent damage to the nerve.

He says I can keep on with my weights and aerobics but just to stop when I feel the nerve aggravated. I can keep up the streching and yoga too. The stepping, he says, may be bothersome for it.....so when and if (it may not be worth it now :-() I get the new full size step I will have to keep it at 4 inches. Maybe I'll just have to do my stepping with no step....I know Wendy has had to do that a lot in the past.

So I just have to watch what I do. This will come and go so I won't be in discomfort forever and alternately icing and heating relieves the aching. At least I don't have the shooting pains as others have with similar problems.

I only posted this here because Janet and Suzanne asked me to report on the doctors findings. I think piriformis syndrome sounds sort of athletic whereas sciatia sounds like an old person's ailment ;-) and I don't feel old.

I'm still looking forward to the new tapes!:)
 
I feel your pain

Hi Susan, I'm sorry you have a sciatica problem. When the doctor told me I had sciatica I yelled, "that's for old people and I'm not old." Apparently it hits anyone it wants.

I've had it for about 3 years but I'm painfree at the moment. I got mine by picking up a dumbbell with bad form and I knew the minute that pain hit that I was in big trouble. I didn't get much help from the medical community other than pills that didn't work. I started going to a chiropractor faithfully several times a week if needed. It took about 15 months before I had days with no pain but now I only go for maintenance every 4 or 5 months. The pain shooting down the leg wasn't always there but the pain in the butt just wouldn't stop.

Maybe something that I did can help you. Make ice your best friend. When I have pain I put an ice pack in my pants and do my workout. It doesn't cure anything but it sure helps.

Lateral movements seemed to make it worse so I did anything cardio that was forward/backward. I had to give up step for awhile but the last thing I wanted to do was make that pain worse.

I had to lighten up the pounds during strength workouts. Anything over 10 pounds would make the pain shoot down my leg or just make the pain worse in general.

Stretch! Stretch the quads and hamstrings and hips every chance you get. The one stretch in particular that helped me was to put my left heel on my right toes and sink into squat position. Ah! Then do the other side of course. When my hamstrings get too tight the pain always comes back.

Pilates helps with alignment. Since I don't live near a city I bought books and the Stott videos and gave it my best shot. I also bought the manual from Stott. When I feel the pain starting to come back I do Pilates and 9 times out of 10 I realign everything back there and the pain goes away. And the $30 I save by not needing the chiropractor is $30 I get to spend on new videos!!

I think sciatica is about the most painful thing we can get. Be careful and always listen to your body. Good luck Susan.

Linda
 
Hi Susan!

I am so glad you did let us know what the doc had to say. I don't think of sciatica as an old person's ailment - I think of it as something that happens to people who are active. We can call it superior sciaticas hyper-extremis. Meaning, this is what can happen to people who use the highest quality exercise videos very enthusiastically.

In the category of unsolicited advice (I make this suggestion based on my own experience, your situation may be completely different and you may have already considered this, but if you haven't) - you may want to consider this is as situation that can be relieved with physical therapy, or with advice from a doc who specializes in sports medicine. You are much too young and active to permanently limit yourself unless there is something else going on. Again, I don't have all the facts of your situation, I just know that when my back troubles started the first pt group I went to told me to get used to the fact that I'd never....fill in the blank.....run again, do any kind of impact exercise again....etc. With the wonderful care of the pros I'm with now, I hope to be the star of the 28th Annual Dana Point (California) Thanksgiving Day 10k Turkey Trot (that is if I can get around the running Elvis's early on).

I don't meant to dismiss the wonderful advice about icing and the other ways to take care of yourself. So, FWIW, that was my 2 cents.

Janet
 
Hi Janet!

How are you? Just saw your post and thought I'd just pop in to say Hi, Soooo, Hi!!!!!:7 Hope you are doing better. I haven't talked to you for a while. I'll be rooting for you on Thanksgiving Day!

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH :)
"If You Get The Chance To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!"
 
RE: Hi Susan!

Thanks for your replies and advice. :) I have copied them off to refer back to.

I kind of like the idea of having superior sciaticas hyper-extremis. It has that athletic sound to it that I like. ;-)

I am going to still get the full size step if I find one.....all that enthusiasm over finding Fitness Depot and I still haven't called them...go figure! :-hmmm

I'll take into consideration the advice and information you guys have given me along with what the doctor has told me. I think the benefits of exercise are worth the risk of aggravating the nerve and possibly having to take it easy for a while....with the emphasis on possibly. So....I am not going to permanently limit myself and treat myself like an invalid, after all, as you said, Janet, I am too young for that.

Thanks, Linda for telling me of your experiences with this problem.....you were very encouraging...and good luck Janet with your run at Thanksgiving!

This is a wonderful site and I look forward to talking about the new tapes that we are all chomping at the bit to receive from Cathe! :)
 
Hey Nana! Is Kennedy Cuter Every Day?

Hi Debbie-

Are you still on cloud 9? How's the new little family doing? Any new pictures to post?

Thanks for checking in. I feel I've taken up too much time here complaining lately but can finally report that I'm making (slow) progress.

Baby pictures are good therapy. But, maybe you haven't taken very many pictures of Kennedy (ha, ha!).

Janet
 
Susan, I can't believe this. I have suffered from this type of pain on and off for about five years or so. I always thought it might just be some kind of arthritis (runs in the family). The bone in my lower back and my butt hurt so bad. Sometimes I can't sit in one position and my butt hurts when I get up to walk. Sometimes throwing me down becasue of sharp pain. I just woke up with this pain again yesterday. I have not had it for about a year. I was not able to workout or run today so far. I was talking to my close frined, Becky (aka **Michigan Mom** on the phone this morning and she said I needed to read your post because that is what it sounds like I have. So if you could give me anymore info or advice for this please let me know. I have read to ice it. In the past I have just tried to ignore it but the pain is killer at times. How about a heating pad, would that help to?. Have you done any stepping yet, how do you feel? Ok I have asked a ton of questions. Just want to say thanks for posting this info, now I know it is not in my head!1 Blessings, Lori ;-)
 
i was surprised to hear someone think sciatica was for old folk..

I know ballet dancers suffer it plenty.. i had a case of it when i was in my 20's...but not since
 
Hi Janet!

So good to hear from you! I'm so glad that you check in with us. We WANT to know how you are doing. You have never complained. To be honest, I think you have handled it like a trooper. Trust me, I know how depressing it can be to have an injury that sidelines you. I am also glad that you are making progress. Hang in there and you'll be back soon!!:7

Kennedy is definitley CUTER every day! Julie, Scott & Kennedy are coming here for the weekend and I will take more pix to post.(since you insist!:7) Thanks for asking. Take care and keep us posted on how you are coming along. Don't stay away too long!;-) Gotta a lil' carried away with all those little "yellow heads" in this post!

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH :)
"If You Get The Chance To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!"
 
There are probably several things that can put pressure on the
sciatic nerve and I wouldn't want to assume that this is what you have till you see your doctor. I am no expert with this and have just found out 'it' has a name.

As for advice, Linda and Janet have posted some on here and Suzanne has some under piriformis. They have all 'been there' and are very compassionate to others in pain. I am going to take all this information into account and see what works for me.....the ice feels good alternated with heat and so does the stretching. As Linda says you can put the ice right in your pants :-wow! Right at this stage I haven't thought of pt but maybe in the future.

I just finished doing PS CST, Urban Training and the second part of Streamline Fitness and I feel great.....I am going to do Step Fit tomorrow. I have a small step that at it's lowest is 6 1/2" and I'm hoping to get one at 4", partly because of this but mostly because of my knees and to use as a weight bench. I usually don't have a problem with walking and I'm not a runner so others will have to help you there.

So sorry, Lori, to hear you are going through this too! :-( Pain isn't any fun but as you can tell by reading these posts, there is a lot you can do for relief and no reason to give up, not that I thought you would. These guys on this site are very positive!

Funny how I viewed this as an 'old person's' ailment. I guess it's my environment. I've never have dancers in my life as you have Cinza......by the way....I bought the NYC Ballet tape and it is wonderful to watch. I only stumbled through a few of the exercises so far but it is a beautiful tape and ever so soothing just to listen to! :)

Let us know how you are doing Lori. I'd like to know if this indeed is what is troubling you.
 
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