SCIATICA during pregnancy
Sciatica can be experienced as numbness, pain, or tingling anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve, which leads from the lumbar spine, through the hips and buttocks, and down each leg. The pain is typically felt on one side and can vary from dull and mild, to sharp and shooting.
Sciatic nerve irritation often comes from a misalignment in the spine. During pregnancy, one of the common causes is the anterior pelvic tilt because this pulls the lumbar spine forward, which can put pressure on the sciatic nerve that comes out of it. Another potential cause is a condition known as piriformis syndrome. This occurs when the piriformis becomes overactive and inflamed from trying to do the job of a weak or underactive glute complex and then pinches the sciatic nerve that runs under it.
How to prevent and manage Sciatica?
It is actually a very similar prevention method for SI joint dysfunction as proper alignment and pelvic stability are important to reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve. The main difference between Sciatica and SI joint dysfunction is that there are stretches that can provide relief from sciatica pain. The best ones are cat-and-cow stretching and some stretches for the glutes.
Hi! I'm Sara, the founder of Withsara. I have been a fitness group instructor, Barre teacher and Yoga teacher for over 10 years. I am also a certified Nutritional Health Coach from IIN in New York, USA.
After giving birth to my two beautiful daughters, I have had to build up my body twice after my pregnancies. With my experience, I have created a workout that is a great combination of low impact, functional movement, pilates, barre, and yoga. It builds up deep core strength, creates sustainable and lasting change, relieves physical tension and mental stress, and gives you an overall healthier and happier body.
