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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffIt's not always possible to prevent sciatica, and the condition may recur. The following suggestions can play a key role in protecting your back:
- Exercise regularly. This is the most important thing you can do for your overall health as well as for your back. Pay special attention to your core muscles — the muscles in your abdomen and lower back that are essential for proper posture and alignment. Ask your doctor to recommend specific activities.
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Maintain proper posture when you sit. Choose a seat with good lower back support, arm rests and a swivel base. Consider placing a pillow or rolled towel in the small of your back to maintain its normal curve. Keep your knees and hips level.
When working at a computer, adjust your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor and your arms rest on your desk or the chair's arms, with your elbows bent at a right angle. Take frequent breaks, even if it's just to walk around your office.
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Use good body mechanics. Being conscious of how you stand, how you lift heavy objects and even how you sleep can go a long way toward keeping your back healthy. That's because poor posture stresses your back, leading to fatigue and stress on joints and nerves.
If you stand for long periods, rest one foot on a stool or small box from time to time. While you stand, hold reading material at eye level instead of bending forward.
When you lift something heavy, let your lower extremities do the work. Move straight up and down. Keep your back straight and bend only at the knees. Hold the load close to your body. Avoid lifting and twisting simultaneously. Find a lifting partner if the object is heavy or awkward or if you're fatigued.
- Lin M. Musculoskeletal back pain. In: Marx JA, et al., eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00051-7--s0045&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00051-7--s0060&uniq=184337872&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&sid=955285604. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Rosenbaum RB, et al. Degenerative disease of the spine. In: Bradley WG. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50115-1--cesec38&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50115-1--cesec55&uniq=184337872&isbn=978-0-7506-7525-3&sid=955285604. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Gregory DS, et al. Acute lumbar disk pain: Navigating evaluation and treatment choices. American Family Physician. 2008;78:835.
- Aminoff MJ. Mechanical and other lesions of the spine, nerve roots, and spinal cord. In: Goldman L, et al., eds. Goldman: Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/184337872-18/0/1492/1420.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50428-6--cesec37_17875. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Devereaux M. Low back pain. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:477.
- Low back pain fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm#119483102. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Wheeler SG, et al. Approach to the diagnosis and evaluation of low back pain in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Knight CL, et al. Treatment of acute low back pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Ernst E. Complementary treatments in rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;34:455.
- Chronic pain: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chronic_pain/detail_chronic_pain.htm. Accessed March 1, 2010.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 4, 2010.
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