Sciatica Nerve Pain

Hi Julie Ann,

When you say you experienced quite a bit of pain relief in the beginning, what sort of pain was it that was relieved?

Christine

Hey - what is the deal with the right side wall collapsing? I have a rectocele but it is definatly more to the right side than straight back. has anyone ever given you information about that?
Okay now on to your sciatica pain during exercise-could you describe it more- you don't feel it when you walk right? so what exactly gives you the feeling? what does it feel like?
In my former life I studied exercise and sport science and fitness and wellness- so I am curious.B

...but diagnoses just aren’t possible here. The best you can do is to heed the advice of your care practitioners and hope the situation resolves with time. Who could say what might’ve been affected by your birth experience or what nerves or structures are placing limitations on your body’s capacity to exercise?

The only general comment I’ll make is that if we are going to exercise vigorously, we have to also support the spine/pelvis in its natural shape when we are not exercising. I know this from experience and have caused terrible sacroiliac joint dysfunction by alternating lots of slouching in upholstered furniture with tough workouts. The basic strength of the musculature around our backbone comes from what we do throughout the day rather than just at the gym.

I demonstrated modest sets of repetitions in the dvd (which some women find too difficult) and doing more or less can only depend on the ability of the individual woman.

All I can say, Julie Ann, is that I hope the situation resolves very soon. With your practitioner’s consent, try lying flat on a wooden floor (if possible…concrete seems to suck the energy out of the body) two or three times a day for 20 minutes or so. Rest your arms and hands (palms up) out to the sides and let your feet fall freely. Breathe through your nose and let your lower belly rise with the inhalation and gently fall with the exhalation. This is supportive of the natural shape of the spine, is very relaxing, and may help calm your spinal nerves.

Wishing you well,

Christine

hi julie ann:

christine's comment about the sacroiliac joint especially struck me today. i saw my pelvic floor pt person this morning whom i've been seeing for about 6 weeks now -- the same amount of time i've been working to incorporate the posture and this work. my prolapse is stable (amazing to me considering the recent constipation bout though i do have days when things feel waaay better, like yesterday, so i shouldn't be THAT surprised) and she noted that my sacroiliac joint was much improved and nearly all aligned now, which it wasn't initially. i can only assume it is from this work, especially as christine mentioned that one needs to support the spine/pelvis when not exercizing even more than when one IS exercizing. i am focusing on posture through out the day, though still think i don't completely have the hang of it -- a work in progress, for sure. i am doing the fire breathing every morning. i have yet to do exercizes in the dvd on a consistant basis, though hope to start once my very upcoming period ends.

i guess my point here is maybe you want to try for a few weeks to just focus on the posture and really incorporate it into your life and see how you feel then. i like the idea of laying on the floor christine suggested ( i think I'M going to do that later...) the power of this postural work is really incredible to me. i'm unclear as to why it doesn't have a wider audience yet. maybe our western love of the quick fix? don't know, but i do wonder about all those women having surgery and their outcomes...

good luck with the sciatica. i had it a few years ago -- went to a chiropractor and had a lot of success treating it there. it's sure doesn't feel good, though, i know.

xxsusan

Hi Julie Ann

Christine will probably kill me for saying this, but I think there is a limit to the amount of exercise our bodies will tolerate, and all bodies are different, and the existing injuries (eg prolapse) may reduce that tolerance some. Remember what Christine said about how you can use muscles too much, and they just get tired and won't work any more? Perhaps this is the reason for the pain when you increased the reps? Your body is just saying, "Enough!" I could not find specific information about how much you are actually doing, but more is not necessarily better. You may have just reached the limit for you, and be experiencing a lot of unnecessary pain and discomfort for little extra benefit.

I think exercise is very useful, but that posture, diet, and clothing are far more important, only because a body carrying itself correctly will exercise itself with everyday movement. As long as you are not a couch potato, you shouldn't need to push yourself like an Olympic athlete to just get normal muscle funtion happening properly.

Am I a lazy fool saying this?

Cheers

Louise

I too, believe that my body doesn't tolerate too much exercise. I had developed awful headaches, neck pain and a nasty occipital neuralgia. managed to control them with chiro care and better diet. I also stopped all exercising at the time. when I was feeling better I resumed brisk walking on the treadmill, and then some upper body ex's - with no weights mind you. the very next day I was in pain again. not willing to risk the recurrence of the neuralgia I stopped the upper body exercise and tried again a few months later. same thing. so until I figure something else out, my upper arms are getting flabby, but that's small potatoes compared to the constant unmanagable neuralgic pain.

sometimes less is more

thought I would just mention.......exercise is important for cardiovascular and pulmonary health - as well as other health aspects (osteoporosis, diabetes....) and new studies are showing it makes you smarter too:)
the best thing is to let your body be your guide. If it hurts don't do it- but don't stop looking - there is something physical out there for everyone!
okay now I will get off my soap box-B