Losing weight with Atypical Sciatica

[BajanAngie]

I need to loose weight as it is aggravating my back and increasing my mobility problems. i would like to know what type of exercise would help?

[Mgt8]

I would defiantly agree with 'lose' do ask your doctor before exercise.

As a suggestion, I have health problems and find swimming a good all round way to exercise. The water helps to support making it easier on my body.

Good luck....

[pauline55]

I too suffer from sciatica and i also have osteoarthritis and i believe that swimming and aqua aerobics are brilliant exercise for these conditions

[gilly57]

I use a wheelchair intermittently and have lost 28lbs from calories-controlled food intake alone. Don't focus on the ex re. losing weight. But see your doc for sure anyway. Hope this helps.

[sallydogsmum]

If you can, see a physiotherapist. I have sciatica and at its worse couldn't do anything (you know what it can be like). I saw the GP who gave valium/tramadol for the pain. I saw a physio (privately as she lived a few house from me) and she taught me how to do stretching exercises and advised Pilates. That worked for me, and once you learn the moves, you can do it anywhere. It also strengthens muscles, which is important to support your bones.

Whatever you do, take it steady and if possible mix and match. Swimming is good for some people (not me, it hurts my joints too much as I'm really bad at it), but simply walking more than usual will contribute to improving your health.

Good luck.

[BajanAngie]

Thank you all for your responses. I will see my GP and look into water based exercise but will be changing my eating habits also. Sallydogsmum unfotunately waking makes me worse at times as during bouts of pain in my back, my mobility is significantly reduced however I appreciate your response.

[Nobu]

I'd recommend a portion control as it doesn't affect your sciatic pain.

[OlsBean]

I suffered for years and years with debilitating back and joint issues including Sciatica, unable to take Anti-Inflammatories, I was left daily taking Tramadol and Amitriptyline, some days it felt like I was carrying a Baby Elephant on my back, I was unable to access any kind of free therapy for it due to my weight, it was awful and one of the reasons that drove me on to lose so much weight. I lost the majority of the weight without exercise, because for the reason I stated above, most day it was all I could do to walk.

Anyway after losing the weight I was referred to Neurosurgeons for help and after various scans and investigation they concluded that I had a form of degenerative bone disease affecting my spine and various joints, and they basically prescribed running believe it or not, which at the time if I am honest you could have knocked me down with a feather, I was very sceptical! It is that which lead me to the NHS C25K program which I completed a couple of years back now, I've been running regularly ever since and I have never looked back. Occasionally I get an issue with my back, normally when it's very cold and I've been doing something repetitive, or lifted something stupidly and awkwardly but it's a rarity, it really is and even then what I've found is I recover from it very very quickly, day or two usually and it's hardly debilitating at all during that time, a couple Paracetamols or a small Dram normally knocks it on the head

Good Luck

[Mandy1320]

Hi there, obviously you need to get checked over by your GP but I find swimming best - it's totally weight bearing, it helps my back and my knees and ankles which are also a bit dodgy. Good luck

[BajanAngie]

Interesting comments.