Sciatica leads to various symptoms that can make a person’s day-to-day life a challenge. Sciatica is a condition in which the sciatic nerve is compressed, and that results in various symptoms like pain in the lower back to your leg and buttocks, weakness in the leg, numbness, tingling and mild to extreme pain in the affected areas.
Sciatica nerve pain also happens because of the herniated disc or due to other spine conditions. Remember, such conditions develop over a period of time and you need to observe your day-to-day activities and your lifestyle to understand the actual cause.
Therefore, today we will discuss some of the five habits that can be contributing to your sciatica condition. So, in case you are following such habits, you can put some sort of limits.
Here are the 5 everyday habits that increase sciatica pain:
1. Inactive lifestyle:
This is generally happening with people who are into some profession in which they need to sit at a place for a long time. People with this type of desk job need to understand that exercising is essential for them because most of the time they are sitting at a place for a long time and living an inactive lifestyle. Less physical activity can make your sciatica condition even worse. Sitting at a place for a long time can increase the muscular imbalance in your posterior chain that can increase the chances of inflammation and excess pressure on the sciatic nerve. Therefore, it is advisable to exercise for at least 30 minutes five to six days a week to reduce the chances of inflammation and to strengthen your overall body.
2. Keeping things in your back pocket:
It is not good to keep things in your back pocket because this can trigger your sciatica pain and make it worse. Sitting for long hours can lead to excess pressure and inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and therefore one needs to be cautious while keeping the wallet in your back pocket.
3. Carrying a heavy bag on shoulders:
It is always better to carry a heavy purse or bag in a way that it does put excess pressure on one shoulder. Keeping a heavy bag on one side of your shoulder can put excess pressure over one shoulder. This can lead to excess pressure on your muscles and increase inflammation to prevent compression of your sciatic nerve.
4. Bad footwear:
Most of us love the elegant and lifted high after wearing heels, however when you wear heels this can distort your posture. While wearing heels, your body weight pushes forward, and this also causes flex at your hips to stay upright. While wearing heels, your hamstrings muscles go through excess pressure, and this also puts stress on your lower back and buttocks. The sciatic nerve is the largest in the human body that is extended from your lower back, through your buttocks, and goes down to your legs. Therefore, inflammation or excess pressure on this nerve can cause extreme to mild pain, including other symptoms.
5. Wearing tight jeans:
If you are wearing trousers, jeans and pants or even underwear, this can irritate an already compressed sciatic nerve. Therefore, it is good to wear loose jeans and trousers if you are suffering from sciatica. Also, in general, it is good to avoid tight jeans and trousers and wear something comfortable.
Other factors that can trigger sciatica nerve pain:
- If you are overweight, this can increase your inflammation because in this situation, the person’s spine is carrying an extra weight that can lead to back pain and trigger sciatica nerve pain.
- Lifting heavy weights, if someone who is already suffering from sciatica nerve pain is lifting a heavyweight, that can also worsen their sciatica pain.
- Someone who met with an accident and their spine got injured or if the injury triggers the sciatic nerve that can also cause sciatica nerve pain. However, this completely depends on the injury.
- Excess stress and worrying is also a common factor that worsens your sciatica nerve pain. When a person is taking too much stress, this also increases tension in the muscles and reduces the oxygenation that can increase your sciatica nerve pain and its symptoms.