Sciatic pain is common in runners because of the repetitive stress placed on the lower body, and it also rears its head in the later months of pregnancy. As the baby gets larger and applies more pressure to your spinal cord, the sciatic nerve, which runs all the way down the back of your leg to your foot, becomes compressed, and might start letting you know it.
(If you're a pregnant runner, you may be in for a double-whammy)! Sciatic pain can take on many forms, ranging from a tingling sensation in your legs, to a sharp, stabbing pain. When severe, it can also cause the leg to go "numb" upon standing or walking, which presents its own set of safety issues in late pregnancy.
While prenatal yoga will help provide the strength and balance needed to aid in some aspects of sciatic pain, there is also a great sciatic pain reliever: pigeon pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana).
To get into the pose, start on all fours in a table top position.
Slide your right knee forward and lay the leg across the width of your mat, bent. The right heel will be aligned with the left hip.
Using the sticky nature of your mat, walk the back foot longer so that the back leg is fully extended, thigh to the floor. Keep the heart high, chest open and support yourself with the fingers or hands. Extend the torso long create space in the lower back, and focus on pressing your tailbone down and forward.
You will feel a deep stretch in the outer hip and thigh of the bent leg. Try to practice the pose nightly, and gently breathe into the stretch, gradually deepening over time. Initially, you may only be able to hold the pose for about a minute. Using your breath as the focus, try to work on eventually holding for up to five minutes. Repeat on the other side.
(If you're a pregnant runner, you may be in for a double-whammy)! Sciatic pain can take on many forms, ranging from a tingling sensation in your legs, to a sharp, stabbing pain. When severe, it can also cause the leg to go "numb" upon standing or walking, which presents its own set of safety issues in late pregnancy.
While prenatal yoga will help provide the strength and balance needed to aid in some aspects of sciatic pain, there is also a great sciatic pain reliever: pigeon pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana).
To get into the pose, start on all fours in a table top position.
Slide your right knee forward and lay the leg across the width of your mat, bent. The right heel will be aligned with the left hip.
Using the sticky nature of your mat, walk the back foot longer so that the back leg is fully extended, thigh to the floor. Keep the heart high, chest open and support yourself with the fingers or hands. Extend the torso long create space in the lower back, and focus on pressing your tailbone down and forward.
You will feel a deep stretch in the outer hip and thigh of the bent leg. Try to practice the pose nightly, and gently breathe into the stretch, gradually deepening over time. Initially, you may only be able to hold the pose for about a minute. Using your breath as the focus, try to work on eventually holding for up to five minutes. Repeat on the other side.
