The concern about Sciatica and Sport
Recently more people had been asking whether they can do sports when suffering from sciatica. Sciatica is a common complaint which affect many individuals, and it refers to a radiating pain from lumbar (lower back) area, through one side of the buttock, and down the back of the leg. Most of the patients will experience a sharp pain in that distribution, numbness/tingling, or even weakness of the leg.
There are different causes of sciatica including (1) the spine degeneration occurring in ageing people which can irritate the nerve root, (2) pressure on the sciatic nerve resulted from disc herniation or bone spurs; (3) sports injuries and (4) muscle strain can often produce similar symptoms too.
Nevertheless, there are a number of treatments of sciatica such as medications, physiotherapy or if necessary, surgery. Taking a rest is also beneficial!
Sports enthusiasts do not need to worry about missing out on exercising even if you have sciatica symptoms. Exercises like jogging and swimming are often beneficial to relieve the pain, as long as you have enough warm up and stretching, maintain a correct posture, beware of your exercise intensity and act according to your ability. You can also consult doctors or physiotherapists for a tailor-made exercise therapy to alleviate the symptoms.
