Sciatica Support Group

Oh, I know all too well what you are going through! My advice is do all the right things now or you'll end up like me, a 22-year-old with an inability to work full-time, stand for more than 10 minutes, and uuggg, so much more that I won't get into. My pain was not constant for the first 2 years, it would come and go like yours, so I kept pushing myself. After that it was constant, I thought I was losing my mind due to all the nerve sensations. I didn't see a doctor for the first 4 years. It's been 7 years now, the past 3 severe. I can still feel the feeling I felt when I had to say goodbye to all sports. It breaks my heart and I'm guessing it always will. Please take the right steps now so you don't end up like me. After your matches, ice, ice, ice! Ice the spine of your lower back while you lay on your stomach with a pillow firlmy under your hips; flip the icepack at about 10 minutes. You can also ice into your buttock but the spinal nerves you're having a problem with stem from your lower spine. You can use 5 minutes of heat after 20 minutes of ice to decrease stiffness, but using anymore heat increases inflammation. My boss can always tell if someone has been using a heating pad too much because their skin is tender to the touch. Go with the 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off icing rule. Do gentle stretches like laying on the ground and slowly bringing one knee up to your chest, hold for about 30 seconds, then slowly and gently switch legs. Ask your trainer for more stretches and LIGHT core strengthening exercises. This isn't a condition that warrants hitting the gym hard, as it will often make it worse. Bend at your knees, not at your waist, ALWAYS!!! Sciatica is not a diagnosis, it's a symptom of something else, usually in the lower back but it can also be the piriformis mucles. If your pain persists, go to a doctor, preferable a sports medicine doctor, and see if you can get an MRI. Don't always trust doctors just because they have a degree, you never know who graduated at the bottom of their class!!!

I wish you all the luck in the world!!! I'll be hoping for you!!!

Much love and understanding,
Lisa

I am an athlete also and please- Heed Lisa's advice. I have heeded her advice and from a few other people and have still been able to participate in my crazy sport sch. Please stretch and ice your back as she says. Everyone is different with heat applications. God bless!
-Monique/anchesenamunseyes

I have bad sciatica too. And I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. I was on a hockey team and ended up pushing myself through the pain during practices, games, and tournaments. And guess what? It just made my back and my sciatica worse. It's so hard to let yourself rest because you don't want to let your team down. But if it's for your health, you need to work on getting better. Your team will understand... especially if you go to the games to show your support. If you absolutely refuse to miss out on the games, just make sure you get a lot of rest after... acupuncture and alternating ice and heat help.

Hi
I have been diagnosed with maybe RA but no one can decide what is wrong. Recently I have had a problem with my leg. The whole leg. The way I sit or get up makes my knee cap pop around, back of my knee pop, calf and thigh hurt. My pt thinks it might be sciatica. Last night we did a few things which triggered so many things in my leg. My primary is very interested. I would love not to have Ra. I am missing my sports and being active due to the leg popping and acting up. What you have described sounds familiar. Does my symptoms sound familar to any of you?