Sciatica Nerve Irritation/ Stiff Back?
Decompress
Elongate
Recentralize
Consider decompressing and elongating your spine before and after that next training run or session. I even love to do this within minutes of waking in the morning and it feels like my whole body opens up and my breathing even feels easier. I walk taller and I feel like all my tissues are receiving the oxygen they deserve for better recovery and proper movement!
Foam rolling and stretching can give temporary relief, but we need to get to the root of the problem: you may have a compressed nerve that does not respond to flexing but flossing!
The nerve likes to glide through that tissue and in doing so, decompresses and gives massive relief and most important- enhances proper movement patterns.
My chiro Dr. Brinker from the Back Pain Center first introduced me to this issue and I compounded on his solution in creating my own nerve floss techniques which I do most mornings.
Exercise 1 (to do at the gym)
Hang from a pull up bar or if too short, set the squat rack higher so that your toes touch the ground Extend not flex
Toes down allows you to decompress and DROP YOUR PELVIS
Exercise 2 (Use wall) Disk Centering
Put the disk back in the center where it belongs!
Feet together in a straight line. Lean shoulder into the wall
Glide hip towards the walk and return continually - this recentralizes the disk
Exercise 3 (on the floor) Press ups
Lying pace down on the ground (prone cobra)
Hands under shoulders
Feet together
Press up and extend as far as you can without your hips coming off the ground.
Hold for 15 seconds, do 6 press ups WITHOUT letting hips elevate!your range of motion will increase as you gently progress through that set. We don’t want hip flexor involvement. Again, our focus is on that disk and spine.
When I am at home for a quick session- I spend 3-5 minutes and I feel amazing after!
I use the ORB foam roller - 30 seconds middle of lumbar spine, 30 seconds gentlest ascent up the back, down to mid back 5 ws, 5 elbows together to extension. Then down and quick glute med,
, hip complex tissue mobilization to get all the stiffness from the night out.
Hold Prone Cobra for 15 seconds, 6 press up, hold 10 seconds, 6 press up, hold 15 seconds
Half lift with Twist Mobilization. I do this for about 45-60 seconds.
Exercise 2 Half lift with Twist Mobilization (my favorite in the morning)
I like to start with my feet shoulder width apart, but you can progress to crossing the legs or feet together. Tuck your pelvis- belly to spine.
Flat back, chest proud, shoulders down and back, long in the neck and spine, belly drawn into the spine, slight bend in knees
Extend right arm to the floor
Gently twist to the left, sending the left arm fully extended to the ceiling- gaze goes high.
Come back to neutral and continue to the other side going back and forth to the pace of your breath for 30-60 seconds.
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