Sciatica is the nerve pain from an injury or irritation in the sciatic nerve present in the buttock area. The sciatic nerve is the longest and the biggest nerve in the body and can cause immense pain if not treated correctly. The question is: Why do people experience sciatica sitting pain?
There are different reasons why this may happen which is why we are going to discuss some of the most common ones in this article below. So, let us start with the most basic questions. Statistics reveal that around 10% of people with lower back problems suffer from sciatica, which is a serious concern.
Is Sitting Bad for Sciatica?
Sitting too much can cause extensive pressure on the gluteus area, which contributes directly to the sciatica issue. Move around or performing an activity causes the blood to flow and nerves to relax. For instance, people who have a desk job should try standing up every few hours to keep their sciatic nerve healthy.
How to Sit With Sciatic Nerve Pain?
The big question is how does one sit with sciatic nerve pain? The way you sit during your daily activities has an extensive effect on your pain levels. The most common reason why nerve pain worsens for most users is that they sit the wrong way.
While everyone has their sitting style and position with sciatica, there are still a few things that everyone should avoid when dealing with sciatica sitting pain.
These are as follows:
1.) It is best not to cross your legs when you sit
2.) Ensure placing your feet on a flat surface while you sit
3.) Bend your knees at a 45-degree angle
4.) Do not move your body in parts. Instead, use your chair to move your body as a single unit.
Do Seat Cushions Help Sciatica?
There is a long debate that is going on about the role of seat cushions against sciatica. While most of the seat cushions do not do much against the problem, there are other alternatives that you can go for.
For example, most people ask: is sleeping on recliners good for sciatica? Well, a recliner may help against nerve pain when you keep it at a 45-degree angle. This way, the pressure cut out turns to the center of the back and regulates the pressure evenly.
Ways to Use Sciatica Pillow for Sitting
1) How to Sit When You Suffer from Sciatica
Sitting for extensive hours can have an impact on your sciatica pain. Therefore, you must make a few changes to your sitting style if you are suffering from sciatica. For example, a few ways to sit with pain are as follows:
a.) It is wise to change your position frequently. This is because sitting in the same position weakens your core muscles which can lead to health complications later on.
b.) Similarly, sitting in the same position for prolonged hours can cause back pain and other complications. Thus, you should take a walk after every hour or stretch a little.
c.) You should exercise to keep your muscles and ligaments around the hips strong.
2) How to Sit On the Couch with Sciatica
Following are some tips that will help you find the correct way to sit on a couch if you suffer from sciatica:
a.) Start by squaring up your body to evenly distribute your body weight on your body. Keep in mind that you will exert more force on either side of the body if you lean for long hours.
b.) Ensure placing your back against the couch support so that the couch handles some of your weight and helps you sit more comfortably.
c.) You should put your feet up if they do not touch the ground. It is because hanging your feet out for long hours can cause pain. You can also keep your feet up on the chair by bending your knees.
3) How to Sit In Recliner with Sciatica
Sitting on a recliner chair is a little different than a couch. Follow the tips mentioned below to get a better idea.
a.) Place your body back on a recliner chair and find a spot where you can fit your lower back and keep it still.
b.) Avoid arching your back because it exerts pressure on your muscles longer.
c.) Do not keep your legs and knees flat when you sit on a recliner chair; instead, it is best to place your legs on the flat surface of the recliner chair to get a better position on the chair.
4) How to Sit in a Car with Sciatica
Another common problem that most people with sciatica come across is sitting inside a car. It is more difficult to keep your back in position considering that the vehicle goes through several bumps, speed changes, and much more, keeping your body in constant motion.
So, does that mean people with Sciatica cannot do anything? Not true, you can always go for a Sciatica driving pillow to make your life easier.
What makes this driving pillow special for starters is the fact that scoliosis sufferers and back pain sufferers designed this product. So, they know exactly what you are suffering with. The pillow works best for people with tailbone and lowers back pain as it helps improve posture while you drive.
This pillow is also ideal for people who drive for a living or have to spend extensive hours in the car. This will not only keep your back healthy but also help prevent knee and joint pain.
5) How to Sit on the Toilet with Sciatica
Sitting on the toilet requires maintaining balance in a way that you do not exert pressure on your back in any way. People with sciatica experience pain especially while getting up from their toilet seats.
Thus you should keep your back straight, and push your hips upward to get off from a toilet without inflicting pain on your back.
6) How to Sit in Bed with Sciatica
Consider keeping your back against a flat surface when you sit on the bed. You can also add a few pillows under your neck to ensure your body is at the right level.
Try not to hand your legs and feet out, as it can promote Sciatica sitting pain. Supporting your back when you sit on the bed with sciatica will help you minimize pain and promote lower back health.
7) How to Sit on the Floor with Sciatica Pain
Sitting on the floor with sciatica pain works somewhat similar to other methods that we mentioned above but the key component is to keep your back straight. You can either lean against a flat surface like a horizontal wall or lean against an object that can bear your weight to sit on the floor with sciatica pain.
Bottom Line
Sciatica sitting pain is a serious concern and can cause long-term complications if you do not take care of it. However, following the right preventive measures and small lifestyle changes like buying a sciatica driving pillow, sitting upright and stretching frequently can help you minimize this issue. Adapting to these changes may take some time but will help in the long run.