| Although I can't talk about sciatica from personal | | | | muscles of the legs. The classic Downward Facing |
| experience, I have the next best thing – my mom | | | | Dog strengthens the back while it stretches the legs, |
| suffers from it from time to time. And her first | | | | and poses like triangle work the whole body together, |
| response when it "acts up" is to do the sciatica | | | | strengthening and stretching the side of the body. Hip |
| exercises she learned through yoga. | | | | stretches like Pigeon pose, can open the hip gently, |
| Being an adventurous and active kind of mother, | | | | releasing the pressure on the sciatic nerve. Other |
| grandmother and now "senior citizen," my mom has | | | | postures stretch the piriformis muscle, which can also |
| tried a variety of activities over the years to stay fit | | | | cause sciatica. So knowing my mom's ability level and |
| and youthful. So naturally she has done some yoga. | | | | the specifics of her discomfort, I suggested a few |
| She enjoyed a Gentle Yoga class at her local health | | | | poses that I thought could help her. |
| club for a few years, but the class has since been | | | | If you suffer from sciatica, there is a lot of information |
| discontinued, and not finding another one similar, her | | | | out there to help you find the right exercises to |
| yoga practice has slacked off a bit. But when she | | | | relieve your pain. If you're a yoga enthusiast and have |
| feels that familiar discomfort down the back of one | | | | a teacher that you trust, they may be able to make |
| thigh, she turns to stretches she learned in her yoga | | | | some recommendations. If you are a do-it-yourselfer |
| classes, which she thinks of as her sciatica exercises | | | | and have a few books on yoga, chances are that you |
| for relief. The last time this happened my mom asked | | | | have a few ideas to start with already. Many yoga |
| me for any recommendations, since she knows my | | | | books that provide detailed instructions and information |
| interest in yoga has led me deeper in study over the | | | | on the poses, include information on the benefits of |
| last year. | | | | each pose individually. Finding relief could be as easy |
| Though you're not likely to find any poses in yoga that | | | | as concentrating on the exercises that are good for |
| are officially referred to as "sciatica exercises," there | | | | hip opening and hamstring stretching, some may even |
| are many poses that create length in the spine and the | | | | refer to sciatica by name. If you want a more direct |
| back of the legs or openness in the hips, that can | | | | guide, a simple on-line search will turn up dozens, even |
| improve and provide relief from this condition. Seated | | | | hundreds of books and DVDs full of advice and |
| and standing forward folds stretch the long large | | | | sciatica exercises for you to follow. |