Tips to Alleviate Sciatica at Work

Is sciatica interrupting your workflow? With a few simple workplace modifications, you can reduce sciatic pain and prevent it from interrupting your life. But first, it’s helpful to determine the underlying cause. 

Caused by some form of compression on the sciatic nerve, sciatica often feels like a sharp, shooting pain that goes down into your leg. However, it can also feel like a dull burn or tingling sensation anywhere along the nerve’s path. If you find out what’s compressing that nerve, you can get relief. 

At Florida Pain Management Institute in Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, our team of spine specialists diagnose back pain and help alleviate sciatic pain through a variety of modalities. These methods might include physical therapy, workplace adjustments, and, in severe cases, epidural spinal injections. 

What is sciatica? 

Sciatica often occurs when a slipped disc presses on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs through your hip, buttock, and down your leg, and it’s the longest nerve in your body. When it gets irritated, concentrating or completing physical tasks can be difficult because you simply can’t find a comfortable position. 

4 ways to alleviate sciatica at work 

Your mother was right. When you sit up straight, you look and feel better. Good posture is at the heart of reducing sciatic pain. How can you improve your posture at work? Here are some suggestions which will also reduce your sciatic pain.

1- Ergonomic work area 

Ergonomics is the science of fitting the job to the person. This means creating safe working conditions for each individual. Whether your job requires a lot of standing, reaching, picking up heavy objects, or hours at a computer screen, your employer is responsible for ensuring you have the right equipment to support your body. 

For desk workers, that means having a chair that supports your lumbar spine, a monitor at eye level, and the ability to keep your feet flat on the floor. These and other postural adjustments help support your body and ensure you’re not making incremental adjustments to compensate, which can lead to repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. 

2-  Regular exercise 

Low-impact exercises like swimming, walking, and gentle stretching can improve circulation and flexibility. Incorporate core-building exercises into your routine, as a strong core supports your lower back. Additionally, carrying extra weight can compress the sciatic nerve, so if you need to lose those pounds, let pain reduction provide additional motivation. 

To reduce sciatica symptoms at work, take regular breaks to stretch or take a short walk when you can. 

3- Reduce stress 

You’ve probably heard of the health benefits of stress reduction. Learning stress reduction tools such as breathwork and meditation reduces body tension, which can help relieve sciatic pain. 

4- Get a professional evaluation 

If you have sciatica symptoms, get evaluated by a medical professional. Our team can diagnose the source of your pain and recommend treatment options so you feel better. 

Florida Pain Management Institute has locations in Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Our expert medical team has experience with sciatica and will get you the pain relief you need. Make an appointment here on our site.