Talk to me about Sciatica

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ItIsILeclucer

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I’m having real painful problems with my right hip/bum cheek and down into my heel and the back of my left knee. I also am having horrendous pain my in left elbow but I think that is an RSI 😢
 
Sciatic pain is excruciating … I have it, went through Chiro, Physio, steroid injection, surgery, and unfortunately the surgery hasn’t worked because the Sciatic nerve has now stuck to the scar tissue from the surgery , so I am in the same amount of pain, but there is nothing more they can do . 😔
 
Hi, sorry to hear you are in pain. Important to note that sciatica is really a description of symptoms arising from irritation of/ compression of sciatic nerve. It could be caused by such a wide range of things, from muscle tightness to a back problem, so if you haven't already please speak to your doctor and/ or a physio. It's important to know the cause so you can know how to treat it. But I'm sorry you have this, nerve pain is horrible. Hope you find something that helps it.
 
You have my sympathies- it s 30 years since my first bout of sciatica. I didnt go to the doctor for years , until the disc 'went' completely. I was told that in most cases it does resolve itself [ although iit often re occurs , and you will need to be careful with your back always] , but it you havent had a doctor s diagnosis I would urge you to do so to see exactly what you re dealing with.
 
I agree stretching helps. Mine was made worse by riding a VERY wide horse that I subsequently sold because of the width issue. My sciatica is loads better since. I also bought an expensive orthopaedic mattress and this has also made a big difference.
 
My mum had it very badly and pilates was her cure, just the mat work though the reformer machines would be even better. Bodywork plus exercises and changing how you move - it may be that the weight loss has changed the way you moved, or revealed something already going on.
 
OH has had sciatica and ended up being hospitalised. He was offered surgery but declined and decided to try other things first.
He went to a specialist Pilates class which was really excellent.
But he always says that the most effective thing was a very simple exercise devised by an Australian woman called Sarah Key, who wrote 'The Back Sufferer's Bible."
All you need is a foam brick!
OH used to do this exercise immediately before going to bed. The idea is that the exercise helps to separate the discs, allowing them to hydrate during sleep.
Obviously, there's no guarantee it will work for everyone but it's been absolutely brilliant for him. He's not needed to do the exercise for a while now, but if the pain flares up he just gets the block and does the exercise.


I remember one time when we went round the farm ride at Kelsall Hill and OH was not long out of hospital. Snoopy got over-excited, threw a massive buck and poor OH became airborne.
It was horrendous and I was expecting him to be unable to stand.
However, he got up and said 'It feels a bit better now, actually...'
(I would NOT recommend this approach!)
 
I also suffer from sciatica. I find crossing the affected leg over the opposite knee, like ankle on the opposite knee, and then gently pushing the affected knee away from you does resolve my pain.
My physio showed me this.
 
I'd get booked in with a Chiropractor or osteopath first and then do the exercises they suggest. Even Bowen therapy would be worth looking in to once a bone person has confirmed that your pelvis is where it should be.
 
Good luck. Mine settled down with an injection after five months of not riding and really bad pain. Physio etc didn’t touch it but the hospital referral took ages. As soon as hospital physio saw it she said getting you booked straight in for scan and injection. 15 years ago and fine since.
 
ItIsILeclucer said:
I’m having real painful problems with my right hip/bum cheek and down into my heel and the back of my left knee. I also am having horrendous pain my in left elbow but I think that is an RSI 😢
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I live with sciatica on daily basis, result of a back injury, I have nerve damage in left calf and also get muscle craps. On the top of my left thigh it goes pins and needles so need chiro again, but have to bend forward to release the nerve, at least 6 times today already. First time I got it I had to use the wooden ball time seat car cover, and special cushion when on computer
 
It's worse than childbirth IMO. I had it for years until I saw a really good physio, acupuncture, massage and regular stretches and touch wood I don't think I've had any for 7 years now!
 
Well, my pelvis was not in alignment he did something that made it go click and I felt violently sick after, then I had a deep tissue massage and so far I can lay down without pain and I rode today and wasn’t crippled after so will shall see. I’m back in six weeks. In other news I’m going to see Lady Gaga on Thursday I’ve just found out 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
 
I also suffered for years. Physio did zilch. Pilates and head down (front crawl or head in breaststroke) swimming were the cure for mine. I ride a wide cob with no problems, but that is mostly in a Thorn pad and hip saver.
 
I had it for about 10 months in 2022/23. I slipped a disc and the bulge was pressing on the sciatic nerve. It's the most pain I've ever been in, I was so miserable. I tried every painkiller under the sun and none of them touched it. The only thing that sort of worked was tramadol but it knocked me out rather than stopping the pain. Physio helped with the back pain as it loosened off all the tight muscles I had as a result of holding myself so tentatively but it did nothing for the pain in my leg which was 30 times worse than the back pain. Steroid injections were the worst 5 minutes of my life and did nothing. I would have been ok with that 5 minutes if they had worked so I wouldn't say don't do them, they are just about bearable.

I couldn't function at all with it. Unlike most people, sitting was actually the most comfortable position for me. I couldn't stand for more than about 2 minutes so couldn't even cook a meal and lying down was agony so I barely slept (even the tramadol would only give me about 2 hours sleep). I couldn't ride, or walk or play with my new puppy and although I carried on working, I was next to useless. I had to drive into the field to check on the horses and mucking out took me about an hour per stable. My friends had to put my hay in for me.

I'm ideologically opposed to private healthcare but that went out the window when I was faced with a two year wait on the NHS as my quality of life was just non-existent. I do realise how lucky I am to be in a position where I could afford it. I was booked in for surgery but then 2 weeks before - after 10 months of no progress (my surgeon told me in my circumstances it either gets better by itself within 3 months or not at all) - it suddenly disappeared overnight. I just woke up and it was gone. My surgeon said the bulge only needs to reduce or move by millimetres to stop pressing on the nerve. I still expect it to come back even now. I still have the odd niggle if I overdo things but nothing like it was.

Pilates has helped me manage it since. I do notice the niggles are more frequent if I haven't been to Pilates for a couple of weeks.
 
Fransurrey said:
I also suffered for years. Physio did zilch. Pilates and head down (front crawl or head in breaststroke) swimming were the cure for mine. I ride a wide cob with no problems, but that is mostly in a Thorn pad and hip saver.
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We have put chunk in my bosses straight cut saddle which has helped. I can’t swim but would like to learn. My friend has two boys that are water babies so I’m sure they could teach me x
 
I had the same a couple of years ago. Turned out to be down to bone spurs on my hip. I also had bone on bone and bone cysts and a fractured ball joint. I had a hip replacement and now feel as good as new.

So i would urge you to get fully checked out before you do anything. Pilates / physio etc only made things worse for me. Insist on a hip xray
 
Since being kicked in the pelvis, I have had sciatica issues fue to pelvis not being in alignment. This will always be an issue despite getting it re-set every 2.5-ish months. For me its when my piriformis goes into spasm and irritates the sciatic nerve. Now that I regularly stretch and mobilize that area (as well as strengthen the glute), I haven't really had any issues.

Key for me is using an orb ball and/or trigger release ball. I sit on it and raise that same leg to cross over the opposite thigh and roll. You can increase the release by then trying to lower that crossed knee towards the ground. You will feel it all the way down your leg and it can be painful. You can do the same with a roller if too painful but orb ball has been best.

Coupled with the swan (?) stretch where you take that leg in front of your body on the floor and keep it parallel, and your other leg out behind you (either bent or straight) and stretch the upper body down to the floor, it keeps my piriformis in check.
 
ItIsILeclucer said:
We have put chunk in my bosses straight cut saddle which has helped. I can’t swim but would like to learn. My friend has two boys that are water babies so I’m sure they could teach me x
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Sounds like an opportunity! I started open water swimming in 2020 as my body was knackered from marathon training - it hurt to ride, run and walk! I loved it so much I've never stopped so who knows, you might be the same with pool swimming!
 
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