McKenzie Self-Treatments For Sciatica
McKenzie Self-Treatments For Sciatica
McKenzie Self-Treatments For Sciatica
Journal of
Bodywork and
Movement Therapies
www.intl.elsevierhealth.com/journals/jbmt
One of the most painful and disabling back helpful. The sphinx, cobra, and standing back
problems is sciatica. This is a pinched nerve in extension (see Figs. 2–4). The sphinx and cobra
your lower back that causes buttock, thigh, lower can be performed a few times a day. Carry out
leg and even foot numbness, pain, and sometimes 10–12 repetitions slowly. If it hurts in your low
even weakness. Usually, the leg pain is worse than back, but not in your leg that is fine. If however,
the back pain. Your spine may feel locked so you leg pain increases then stop the exercise. The
cannot straighten up fully and simple activities like standing back extension maneuvere can be per-
bending, getting up from a chair or out of bed, or formed a few times every 20 min when you have
even walking can be impaired. been sitting.
Fortunately, even if the pain is severe it usually
improves significantly within a few weeks. While
this kind of disabling pain can certainly be
frightening it is actually a very common condition
that responds to simple treatments in most cases.
After you have seen a licensed medical doctor,
osteopath, physical therapist or chiropractor to
confirm the diagnosis of sciatica from a bulging disc
or narrow spinal canal (spinal stenosis) you may be
told to rest for a day or 2, take anti-inflammatory
medicine and use cold packs (see Fig. 1). Try icing
your back for 20 min intervals a few times a day.
Generally, you will also be recommended to per-
form light activities to nourish the tissues to speed Figure 1 Rest position for cold pack.
recovery.
If your problem is worse with bending forward,
after sitting, or in the morning, a few exercises
originally developed, by a physical therapist
Robin McKenzie from New Zealand, may also be
$
This paper may be photocopied for educational use.
Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 310 470 2909;
fax: +1 310 470 3286.
E-mail address: cldc@flash.net (C. Liebenson). Figure 2 Sphinx.
Figure 3 Cobra.
more aggressive treatments like epidural injections needing surgery and under the supervision of your
or even microsurgery are performed. Fortunately, health care provider these exercises can be your
over 95% of people with sciatica improve without best way of ensuring that.