The side bridge is a great exercise to help strengthen your core muscles including the quadratus lumborum and latissimus dorsi muscles. It is one of the McGill big 3 exercises intended to help with lower back pain and sciatica pain. By improving core stability you will be able to decrease your lower back pain and sciatica pain and also be able to avoid more pain in the future.
The side bridge is often a forgotten exercise by many people but it is so important to do in order to strengthen your core. In this video Dr Zak Owens will demonstrate how to perform this exercise properly. He shows 3 ways to do including a modified version performed on the knees and elbows, the normal way to do it on the feet and elbow, and a more difficult way that includes log rolling into a plank and into a side bridge on the other side. When doing this exercise it is important to note that you must keep your back straight and core stable the whole time. That way you can properly strengthen your core but also so you avoid any positions that may aggravate your lower back or sciatica pain. Start first by doing the modified side bridge. The modified bridge is performed with the base being your knees and elbows. When doing this exercise hold for 10 seconds then rest and then do another repetition for 10 seconds. Start by doing 4 reps and then switching to the other side. Once you have completed both sides do 2 less of the amount of repetitions you did in your first set in this case 2 making sure to do both sides. f you are feeling good with the modified side bridge you can advance to the regular side bridge. This time instead of your base being the knees and elbow it will be your feet and elbow. Once again hold for 10 seconds for each rep making sure to keep a straight back and a stable core. Some instructions apply to the amount of reps and doing both sides. The last step would be the side bridge log rolling into a plank. This is a great advancement as it challenges different area of your core and allows you to do it without a rest between. Only do this one when you are ready as if done improperly may aggravate your back pain or leg pain and symptoms. Start with the regular side bridge with your top foot in front of your bottom foot. When you hit 10 seconds you are going to log roll putting both elbows on the ground and both toes on the ground in a plank position. You can then hold this position for 10 seconds before log rolling to the opposite side bridge position from where you started holding once again for 10 seconds. The side bridge is a fantastic exercise to help increase core stability especially for those with back pain, leg pain, sciatica symptoms, hip pain, or a weak core. It is also a great exercise to prevent pain in the future. Doing the side bridge exercise along with the other 2 McGill big 3 exercises (the modified sit up and quadruped) will be very effective in helping you with your pain.
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McGill Big 3 exercises are 3 exercises to help get rid of your lower back pain. They do this by helping to increase core strength and stability. Today we are going over the first exercise which is the modified curl up.
The modified curl up is not like a normal curl up or sit up. A normal sit up or abdominal work up focuses on flexing the spine to contract the abdominal muscles. To get the best understanding on how to do this work out it is best to watch the video above to see how to perform it. If you would rather here are instructions on how to perform it.
Now assess how you are doing after this. If you were able to do it without pain but it was challenging continue with the same number of repetitions. If it was done easy raise each repetition per set by 1. Instead of 5, 3, 1 do 6, 4, 2. Now if it was painful doing it you need to check your form. Try resting for a while and doing it again later. This is a great exercise to use when you are suffering from any type of lower back pain whether it debilitating or just an annoyance it will help you. If you have a sprain or a strain, disc bulge, sciatica pain, arthritis, spinal stenosis, or muscle pain in the lower back this exercise will help you. This exercise along with the other McGill Big 3 exercises have the best evidence of helping people get rid of their lower back pain and getting back to normal activity. For more questions about what to do for lower back pain whatever the cause is ask one of our chiropractors or acupuncturist. They have years of experience in treating lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, or any other type of pain you are experiencing. They will help you feel better. When people talk about their lower back pain many people throw out the word sciatica to describe their pain and how it is causing them pain and affecting their activities. Lets talk about sciatica pain to determine what it is, how it is caused, and what can be done to help the pain.
Sciatica is when something is causing compression or irritation to the nerve roots of the sciatica nerve or compression or irritation to the sciatica nerve itself. Sciatica is much more complex than this but lets talk about what you experience when you have sciatica pain. With sciatica the pain is felt as moderate to severe pain that starts in the low back and shoots sharp pain down one or both legs. You may also experience numbness and tingling in one or both legs with or without the sharp pain. There are many causes of sciatica pain. One of the most common reasons for sciatica pain is a bulging or herniated disc. Other common causes may be osteoarthritis causing nerve impingement or narrowing of the space where nerve roots leave the spinal canal also know as stenosis. Our chiropractors and acupuncturist can help you get rid of your back and leg pain. Studies have shown that receiving chiropractic adjustments or acupuncture can help decrease your leg pain and get you back to doing what you love. This is done by helping to relax the muscles surrounding the injured area and increasing restricted joint movement of the injured area. This will help to promote proper healing of the damaged tissues in the surrounding area. Along with Chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture care we can help you by instructing in exercises and stretches to help the injured area. These will help to promote movement in the damaged area and help to strengthen weak muscles. By strengthening the muscles we can help stabilize the area to help decrease leg pain and help to strengthen the core which will help to prevent further injuries in the future. When you experience sciatica pain it is always a good idea to try chiropractic care and acupuncture to see if it helps with the pain and other symptoms. Physical therapy is also another great option to help manage sciatica pain. When these options fail and don't provide relief it is a good idea to talk to your doctor about other treatment options such as using medications, shots, or surgery. If you are experiencing any sciatica pain make sure to make an appointment with your Chiropractor, Acupuncturist, or other Doctor today. They can help determine the cause of the sciatica pain and make sure you are getting the best treatment possible. The Study below shows the effectiveness of spinal manipulation (adjustment) in helping with sciatica pain specifically caused by a disc injury. The Effect of Spinal Mobilization With Leg Movement in Patients With Lumbar Radiculopathy-A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30521781 These two conditions are often confused but with a little knowledge, it's easy to diagnose yourself with the correct issue.
What Is Sciatica? Sciatica is an irritation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back and sacral nerve roots. Typically, pain goes down the back of the thigh and the leg/calf and into the feet. Sciatica is a "pinched nerve" and can be caused by a disc bulge, a tight piriformis muscle, etc. Chiropractic treatment is a good first line of defense. Exercise, stretching, and therapies such as electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, cold laser or traction, are also helpful. What Is a Sacroiliac Sprain? Just below where the lower back stops, you'll find the sacrum and pelvic bones. They are connected at the sacroiliac joint. If a sprain occurs at this joint, swelling and radiating pain occurs into the buttocks and thigh, but usually doesn't go past the knee. If you have pain near the dimples just above the buttock, you probably have a sacroiliac sprain. Remember, you can have sciatica and a sacroiliac sprain at the same time. Our Roseville chiropractors can help you reduce your pain and get you back on track. Your Roseville Chiropractors - at ASIC |