Here’s some of our best advice and tips that you can try that may be useful to help your leg pain that is coming from your back.
Stretching
Stretching can be a great adjunct treatment for your leg pain whilst also increasing your mobility. Typically when you hear the word stretch we automatically think of muscles and tendons, what is often forgotten is you can also mobilise your joints – focusing on range of motion, and interestingly your neural structures (e.g nerves) as well! In this blog we will cover a few key stretches you can include in your routine to target each one of these structures. Stretching these structures can help you move better so that load is being more equally distributed, as well as reducing any tension that may be contributing to your leg pain originating from your back.
How to stretch your back muscles
Below are some targeted stretches for some of the main common contributors when it comes to tight muscles in the back.
1. Quadratus Lumborum back (QL) stretches
In the below video David, an experienced Physiotherapist, teaches three simple stretches that can ease your low back pain.
2. Piriformis glute stretch
This stretch targets your glutes, and in particular your piriformis muscle which when tight, can sometimes contribute to irritation of your sciatic nerve given that the nerve runs right past (and in rare cases sometimes even through!) the piriformis muscle.
This same stretch can also easily be done from a seated position as seen below.
Watch our video below for more stretches:
Joint mobilisation – ROM exercises
These exercises focus on mobilising the joints surrounding the lower back, and are often done more like an exercise rather than a stretch, doing multiple repetitions and sets. It is important to do these exercises slowly and in a pain free range. As you do the exercises more regularly you will likely gain increased range in the movements, helping you move easier, feel less stiff and reduce pain.
Pelvic tilts
Below are some pictures showing how to move the pelvis anteriorly (forwards) and posteriorly (backwards). Being able to dissociate movements of one joint from another.
With your hands on your hips, gently rock your pelvis backwards into a posteriorly tilted (think of tucking your tailbone under) holding for a few seconds, and then rock your pelvis forward into an anteriorly tilted position. Your legs, upper back and neck should remain still.
Extension
Extension of the spine closes up the joints at the back of the spine (facet joints) whilst opening up through the front of the spine, therefore reducing intradiscal pressure. This exercise may be relieving if your back pain is coming from your lumbar discs. It is also a movement that is commonly stiff due to increased sitting times.
Flexion
Here are some good stretches focusing more on flexion of the spine including a seated forward bend and the child’s pose.
How to do a nerve stretch if you have leg pain coming from your back
Matt, a Spinal Physiotherapist, teaches how to ease leg pain using nerve flossing stretches.
Doing a nerve stretch is gentle and easy to do.
Nerve stretches can be very effective for helping sciatic nerve pain that is coming from your low back.
The first nerve stretch is called the slump nerve flossing stretch, and is performed sitting up. The second option is to do the active knee extension flossing stretch laying on your back. Both are equally as effective, just pick which version suits you best.
Ensure you have no symptoms whilst doing the stretches, they should be gentle and pain free. If they ease your pain, then do them regularly. Some people use these stretches up to 4 times per day to relieve their leg pain that is coming from their low back.
Do these stretches slowly and build up to doing ten repetitions each time.
Sciatic nerve pain is common and the good news is that it usually will go away quickly. Leg pain doesn’t mean there is anything damaged or seriously wrong with your back.
Below are some simple yet effective stretches you can do for your nerves!
Slump stretch
Sciatic stretch (for nerve pain down back of leg)
Femoral stretch (for nerve pain down front of leg/inner thigh)
How to do: As seen in the pictures above, lying on your tummy, bend your knee of the affected leg to lift the foot up with your head flat on your hands. Then extend your knee bringing the foot toward the floor as you slightly lift the head. It helps to imagine a piece of string attached to the bottom of your foot and the back of your head. Repeat this motion in a pain free range up to 20 repetitions, up to 4 times a day.
Author: Christian Rees, Physiotherapist at our Mount Barker, Adelaide Hills clinic
