Exercise and Sciatica
 

I suffer with left sided sciatica.. my consultant at the hospital has told me light exercise and swimming is fine.. can someone give me and idea of 'light' exercise? im used to going to the gym, using running machines/rowing machines etc..

I had horrible sciatica when I was pregnant, the only thing that helped was stretching. So for a light workout you might try yoga and toning with light weights.

Make sure the yoga teacher knows you have sciatica because there are a few postures you cannot do when you have sciatica. I also had sciatica for both of my pregnancies and I did yoga. I found some postures really aggravated it while others relieved it.

thanks for your replies i will try the yoga, i couldn't overdo it if i wanted too, anything ott and i get shooting pain down my left side :(.. will look at my local leisure centre for times x

I have sciatica in my right side (among other issues :p). Impact exercises are definitely out! Swimming, yoga, pilates I can do, but there's definitely positions I can't do (side leg lifts for example). Pilates helps me a lot, improving core strength improves posture and takes pressure off the nerve. I have a yoga for abs and yoga for back health that are really nice, you don't have to be flexible for either one. I really like the arc trainer at my gym, which is like an elliptical but it's back-and-forth like cross country skiing instead of the feet going around like pedals, if that makes sense? It's the only thing that really gets my heart rate going without aggravating my joints at all.