| While sciatica exercises are definitely important to | | | | centralization would be a situation in which the pain |
| both short and long-term recovery, not all exercises | | | | would leave the thigh and only extedown s far as |
| promoted for sciatica are actually appropriate during | | | | the hip. |
| acute symptoms and may actually make things | | | | Any exercise/position that produces centralization is |
| worse. | | | | considered beneficial, even if the symptoms increase |
| For example, while commonly recommended to | | | | in the areas closer to the spine. For example, if you |
| people with sciatica, exercises such as hamstring | | | | had sciatica and low back pain and tried one of of |
| stretches and the yoga position, "downward facing | | | | the McKenzie exercises and the sciatica completely |
| dog" can be beneficial as part of managing one's | | | | went away but the back pain got worse, the |
| condition once the pain is reduced, these exercises | | | | exercise would still be considered beneficial and it |
| can place tension on the sciatic nerve and aggravate | | | | would be recommended to continue using it. In the |
| an already inflamed and sensitive condition. In general, | | | | long run, a sciatica exercise that produces |
| any exercise that causes pain to increase in the leg | | | | centralization will usually eventually result in |
| and/or extend further down the leg should be | | | | improvement in all symptoms, even if more central |
| completely avoided during the acute phase of sciatica. | | | | (closer to the spine) symptoms get worse at first. |
| During the acute phase of sciatica pain, McKenzie | | | | The simplest of the McKenzie exercises for alleviating |
| exercises provide one of the best and safest | | | | sciatica is done by simply lying on one's stomach on |
| treatment approaches available - more effective than | | | | the floor or a firm surface and propping one's chest |
| medication and epidural steroid injections in many | | | | up on the elbows. This position puts the lumbar spine |
| people. Though often associated with spinal extension | | | | into an extended position, which may reduce sciatica |
| and mistakenly called the "McKenzie Extension | | | | by squeezing bulging disc material further forward and |
| Exercises", McKenzie method may involve any | | | | away from the spinal nerves that compose the |
| number of spinal positions/movements. The whole | | | | sciatica nerve, thereby resulting in reduced |
| point of the McKenzie method is to evaluate | | | | compression and inflammation. Although you can |
| different positions/exercises to find what best | | | | maintain this position for relatively long periods of |
| produces "centralization" of symptoms. | | | | time, I recommend doing it for short periods of one |
| "Centralization" is a term used by McKenzie | | | | or two minutes with a rest break of at least a few |
| practitioners that means that symptoms move out | | | | minutes in between. Taking short, frequent breaks |
| of the areas furthest from the spine. To give an | | | | keeps the lumbar musculature from getting tight, but |
| example, in a person with sciatica all the way down | | | | still allows enough time to get good results in the |
| the leg to the foot, centralization might occur in | | | | majority of cases. For more complex sciatica |
| which the pain left the foot and lower leg and then | | | | exercises, getting detailed instructions either through |
| only extended down to the knee. If the pain | | | | an illustrated guide or an experienced health care |
| extended to the knee at first, an example of | | | | practitioner is advised. |