1.) Avoid Stretching Your Hamstrings
Hamstring stretches can worsen your symptoms. These include bending forward to touch your toes, squats, and the yoga pose that’s known as the downward dog. Also the abdominal exercise where you lie on your back and swing your legs in circles.
Instead you can walk and swim. Swimming is a great exercise for this condition because it takes the weight off of your back.
2.) Avoid Heavy Weights
Heavy squats and deadlifts put strain on your lower back region called the lumbar spine where sciatica occurs.
Instead do gentle exercises that don’t aggravate your sciatica symptoms.
3.) Avoid These Machine Exercises
Machine exercises that are bad for sciatica include rowing machines because it puts strain on your back. Also seated barbell and dumbbell presses.
Instead use the elliptical trainer.
4.) Sitting for More Than 20 Minutes
As I mentioned before sitting causes compression in your lower back which can make sciatica nerve pain worse. Instead get up every 20-30 minutes. You can stretch. Also it’s important to use an ergonomic office chair to keep your back in a neutral position when you sit. These chairs allow you to adjust them to fit you and support your back.
5.) Avoid Lifting Heavy Things
Generally it’s best to avoid lifting anything more than 15 pounds. However when you do lift don’t lift with your back. Instead lift with your legs. You want to bend your knees and squat down with your back straight to pick up objects. This helps protect your back and prevent triggering sciatica pain.