Squats & sciatic nerve

[fuogo]

I have an issue with my sciatic nerve. As much as I love squats, after a couple of weeks my sciatic nerve gets painful. I can usually stop for a few days and the pain goes away. However, there seems to be a point of no return where resting no longer helps and I'm out of commission for about a month or two.

This has happened twice in the last year. This time around, I am doing the seated leg-press machine in place of squats to avoid irritating my sciatic nerve, though I don't feel this is a good alternative.

Can anyone advise on how I can replace squats or if there is another way I can keep doing squats effectively?

 

[needtogetarmy]

Where does it hurt you? In your buttock? I get a pinched nerve in my piriformis from squats and also from sitting too much. The key is to stretch the area to relieve pressure from the nerve. I lay on my back and try to keep my hips on the floor yet bring my leg over to stretch my right butt cheek (right where the muscle is).

Another option is to stretch and then apply pressure and then massage the area. That relieves the tension.

If the pain is in your ass cheek it is most likely coming from the nerve getting pinched from the piriformis muscle. It is very common. BTW I am not a doc - my wife is a Physical Therapist and she schooled me on all of this.

 

[OUfan]

I have an issue with my sciatic nerve. As much as I love squats, after a couple of weeks my sciatic nerve gets painful. I can usually stop for a few days and the pain goes away. However, there seems to be a point of no return where resting no longer helps and I'm out of commission for about a month or two.

This has happened twice in the last year. This time around, I am doing the seated leg-press machine in place of squats to avoid irritating my sciatic nerve, though I don't feel this is a good alternative.

Can anyone advise on how I can replace squats or if there is another way I can keep doing squats effectively?

I have sciatic nerve damage from a herniated disc, the L2 (lumbar, close to the tailbone). The injury occured when I was 15 so about 11 years ago. I actually only get pain now when doing a leg press, squats don't seem to bother me. Not sure that this helps but thought I would share my experience.

 

[beerdrinker]

Where does it hurt you? In your buttock? I get a pinched nerve in my piriformis from squats and also from sitting too much. The key is to stretch the area to relieve pressure from the nerve. I lay on my back and try to keep my hips on the floor yet bring my leg over to stretch my right butt cheek (right where the muscle is).

Another option is to stretch and then apply pressure and then massage the area. That relieves the tension.

If the pain is in your ass cheek it is most likely coming from the nerve getting pinched from the piriformis muscle. It is very common. BTW I am not a doc - my wife is a Physical Therapist and she schooled me on all of this.

I have this problem with my pirifomis. Keeping it stretched out and really warming up before I squat is about the only thing I can do to lessen it. NSAIDs like Ibuprofen really work well for me to reduce the inflammation if it's hurting really bad. Ibuprofen or Naproxen can usually completely eliminate the pain.

 

[fuogo]

Where does it hurt you? In your buttock? I get a pinched nerve in my piriformis from squats and also from sitting too much. The key is to stretch the area to relieve pressure from the nerve. I lay on my back and try to keep my hips on the floor yet bring my leg over to stretch my right butt cheek (right where the muscle is).

Another option is to stretch and then apply pressure and then massage the area. That relieves the tension.

If the pain is in your ass cheek it is most likely coming from the nerve getting pinched from the piriformis muscle. It is very common. BTW I am not a doc - my wife is a Physical Therapist and she schooled me on all of this.

Good advice. The pain starts just above my buttock and goes all the way down my leg but only when it goes past that point of no return. Otherwise, I have mild discomfort just above the buttock but it goes away with a day of rest.

 

[fuogo]

I have this problem with my pirifomis. Keeping it stretched out and really warming up before I squat is about the only thing I can do to lessen it. NSAIDs like Ibuprofen really work well for me to reduce the inflammation if it's hurting really bad. Ibuprofen or Naproxen can usually completely eliminate the pain.

What dose of Ibuprofen kills the pain? I've tried 600mg during one episode and it didn't do much.

 

[beerdrinker]

What dose of Ibuprofen kills the pain? I've tried 600mg during one episode and it didn't do much.

That's enough to do it for me.

I think maybe you should see a doc to make sure you don't have a slipped disk or something. I have read that can also cause the same symptoms.

 

[fuogo]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll probably go see a doctor about this issue.

That's enough to do it for me.

I think maybe you should see a doc to make sure you don't have a slipped disk or something. I have read that can also cause the same symptoms.

 

[studoutlaw]

I'm still wondering the same thing. My back surgan told me not to do Squats ever again