Aqua Therapy for Sciatica and Lower Back Pain

Aqua therapy or swimming exercises are some of the best long term treatment options available to sciatica sufferers. Moving through the water provides a gentle lift, reducing the weight your spine may be under as you walk. Yet the water provides natural resistance to your motions without requiring you to carry weights. Swimming and exercising in the pool will keep you moving, something you need to do to rebuild your endurance. Aqua therapy can help you build up your core muscles, a critical step in preventing future lower back pain. Pool exercises do not have to be done in a physical therapist office; your neighborhood pool or gym is probably available for aqua therapy. Nor will your limited mobility stand out, since pool exercises are common for arthritis sufferers as well.

Benefits of Pool Exercises

Aqua therapy provides moderate form of resistance even when walking through the water. If your back pain makes it hard to walk, the water will buoy you. The sides of the pool give you a flat surface to keep your back straight while stretching. With a floatation device, you can do abdominal exercises without putting as much stress on your spine as if you did it out of the water. Floating in a swimming pool is a low cost, natural and easy way to decompress your spine. Aqua therapy will not cause stressful, jarring motions that can worsen your sciatica like lifting weights or going running.

Considerations Before Engaging in Swimming Exercises

Only go swimming if you can safely get in and out of the pool. Do not start swimming freestyle until you’ve rebuild your core muscles. Do not go diving when you have sciatica. Be careful of treading water if you are in pain, since a flare up could leave you flailing and helpless in the water. Although the water reduces the weight your body must support, you should still not twist your spine or touch your toes in the water, since these motions will cause greater pressure on the sciatic nerve. If you have recently had back surgery to alleviate your lower back pain, talk to your doctor before starting any aqua therapy or exercise regimen. If your sciatica is due to neural tension, you should not go swimming in cold water, which may make it worse. If you have circulation problems, ask your doctor for referral to a warm water aqua therapy location, since cold water may worsen circulatory problems.

What Swimming Exercises Are Recommended to Sciatica Sufferers?

Walking laps in the pool is safe for someone with sciatica, whether you are having a flare up or building up endurance and strength after a sciatica episode. You can do leg raises and arm exercises in the water. If you have a spotter, you can do quadruped exercises while floating on your back. If you are having trouble with your balance or are in the water alone, use a flotation device while doing quadruped exercises. When your sciatica flare up is over, you can swim for cardiovascular exercise. Gentle stretches that do not bend or twist the spine are fine to do while in the water.