Let’s Talk About Sciatica

Sciatica can be a real pain. Learn more about how our classes help to prevent or reduce sciatic pain.

Many people experiencing sciatica have learned to just accept the pain and discomfort, but there are non-surgical ways to improve or eliminate it. Nearly all the classes we offer at Fly Freak help to strengthen, elongate, and improve the health of the spine to prevent or reduce sciatic pain.

Sciatica refers to pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve travels from the lower back through the hips and down each leg. When this nerve is pinched, sciatica occurs. The resulting pain can feel like a mild ache or a sharp, burning sensation. Some people even experience mild numbness or tingling in their leg. Sounds unpleasant, right?

According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise that strengthens the lower back and core is one way to treat and prevent sciatica. These types of exercises can improve your posture and spinal alignment, which help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve.  

Yoga, barre, and aerial classes are all great options for people experiencing sciatica pain.

Yoga and barre are low-impact workouts that build the core and other stabilizing muscles that support the spine. They also offer opportunities to stretch hamstring and hip flexor muscles that can exacerbate sciatica. 

Aerial, especially classes like aerial yoga, offers a safe and supported way to hang upside down. Whether you’re using the sling, hoop, or silks to invert, hanging upside down allows the spine and surrounding tendons and ligaments to decompress. This helps to increase the amount of space between spinal discs and relieve or prevent nerve pressure. It also helps to increase blood flow. Regular inversion practice can and will improve lower back issues.  

Fly Freak students with a history of slipped discs, scoliosis, and sciatica have shared their positive experiences with our workouts, all saying that their symptoms have subsided or, in most cases, completely disappeared with regular practice.

We recommend these classes as prevention. Please consult your doctor if you currently have a slipped disc or are currently suffering from severe back pain.

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