The second in a series of guest blogs from Tara Burry, Master Pilates Instructor, focuses on easy stretches to relieve back and sciatica pain. A few tips to follow: these stretches should be done daily. If you are experiencing back and/or sciatica pain, take the time to go through these three stretches twice a day until the pain subsides, then once a day to keep your muscles relaxed. Also, these daily stretches are only three moves, but is is very important to hold each stretch for five minutes. Why? This is the length of time it takes for the brain to tell the body to relax and then, for the muscles to release.
Foot on Wall
Lie on your mat and place your feet at a 90 degree angle to touch the wall. Carefully remove one foot from the wall and rest the ankle against the opposite knee of the leg that is still touching the wall. You should feel a slight stretch. Hold this stretch for 5 minutes.
Caution: Make sure you are not too close to the wall - your hips should be aligned and not twisted in any way. If you are experiencing a sharp pain with this stretch, move back from the wall until the pain subsides. Also, when too close to the wall ,your muscle will not relax and release.
Repeat this stretch with the opposite leg and hold for 5 minutes.
Hamstring Stretch
Lie on your mat facing away from the wall. Using an exercise band (or not), wrap the band around the arch of your foot and pull your leg anywhere from a 45 - 90 degree angle away from your body - whatever angle is most comfortable! Your knee should not be locked or too bent, simply kept "soft" with a slight bend. Once your body is in the stretch, hold this position for 5 minutes.
Caution: Do not keep pulling on the band with your hands, get your leg into a position where you feel a stretch and then relax. Keep your elbows on the ground to keep your chest and shoulders open.
Bring your leg back down to the starting position and repeat with the other leg and hold for 5 minutes.
Cross Over
This stretch is most easily achieved directly after the Hamstring stretch. Before you bring your leg back to the starting position after the Hamstring stretch, cross the lifted leg over your body and let it rest on the outside of your opposite leg. If your right leg is crossed over the left side of your body, extend your right arm to reach outside the right side of your body (your leg and arm will be pulling in opposite directions).
The arm extension will stretch your chest muscles while the leg stretches your back. Hold this stretch for 5 minutes.
Caution: Make sure your leg rests BELOW your hips, where comfortable, and a gentle stretch is felt. If your leg is too high it will be stretching different muscles.
Gently turn your body and return your leg to the lie down position. Repeat with the opposite leg and hold for five minutes.
Done!
If you are interested in targeting a specific area of your body or addressing a specific pain or concern, post a comment and Tara will offer some great suggestions!
Ready to start pilates or curious to give it a test drive? Give Tara a call at Pilates Body Beyond or email her at info@pilatesbodybeyond.com
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