As professionals, we work with all kinds of people. Some are more challenging than others to work with. The customers and co-workers you click with at the office make the day far more enjoyable and even fun. That is how I feel about my Florida team at Creative Choice Group as I have the most interaction with them being in Palm Beach Gardens. However, there are those occasional employees, clients or even vendors that just get on your nerves. You are probably thinking of one of them as I speak. But what if I told you there was another player that is far worse than your most difficult client or team member and consistently gets on your last nerve. Who am I referring to? I am actually not talking about a “who” but the condition called Sciatica.
Sciatica occurs when something pushes on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, which consists of a large bundle of smaller nerves that begin in the lumbar spine, travel down the back area, and move through the leg. Technically, sciatica is not a disease, but a group of symptoms that affect the region of the sciatic nerve.
Why is sciatica bad? First and foremost, there can be a tremendous amount of a pain. The sensations associated with sciatica can vary person to person but may include weakness, numbness, tingling, burning, and moderate to extreme pain. Often the symptoms are present on only one side of the back or leg since there is a nerve in each leg.
There are many scenarios that can cause sciatic pain, two of the most common are attributed to a slipped disc or something called piriformis syndrome. Both are equally painful and can be serious. And while there is no quick fix, having dealt with this condition myself, I have found that using a holistic approach to treatment can greatly reduce the symptoms and enhance your ability to manage through the pain.
Yoga is one such treatment that can be helpful. The stretching and breathing techniques have long standing health benefits beyond sciatica for sure. Before you race to the gym and sign up for the next yoga class, you should seek approval from your physician before starting any exercise program to be fully informed and avoid injury or lawsuit. If you get the green light, here are 2 stretches that are especially helpful and you can even do them while you work. Yep, all you need is a chair!
- Pigeon in a Chair
Try to find a chair in which you can sit comfortably with both feet flat on the floor and your thighs roughly parallel to the floor. Place your right ankle near your left knee and try to relax your right knee toward the floor. Repeat on the left side. - Cow in a Chair
For cow in a chair, sit with both feet flat on the floor and your hands on your knees. Inhale and draw your chest forward, arching your back. Exhale and release. Repeat several times.
If you suffer from sciatica and feel like the condition is weighing heavily on your nerves, give these yoga stretches a try.