Sciatica and …
Sciatica and numbness in the arm are probably separate problems, although they could have been brought on by the same cause. Since you have more than one issue, my advice is to try to get a referral to a chiropractor to get things checked out and find out what needs to be done. Good luck!

Irritation of the …
Irritation of the lumbosacral nerves from a disc protrusion will often cause contraction and spasm in the calf muscle. As long as the McKenzie exercise does not cause additional pain down the leg, it is OK to use it frequently. In addition, I recommend using cold packs on the low back on a frequent basis (about 15 minutes at a time up to every 1-2 hrs) to control inflammation. Depending on the severity of the protrusion, it could take several weeks to resolve the problem.

I’ve registered on …
I’ve registered on your website and followed your exercises (thank you for making them available).
Physio hasdiagnosed me with Sciatica in left leg re hern/protuding disc in the lower spine (although no MRI to confirm). It started 6 weeks ago and has shown some improvement.
The mckenzie stretch only creates pain in my left butt, but i have an almost constant tightness in my calf and (some thigh) making moving quicker than a hobble very hard. Your thoughts on why and how to resolve this please?

@ …
@FreedomConstitution1 chiropractors are trained, i’d seek one out..
explain your fears, etc.

i have sciatica and …
i have sciatica and numbness in my left arm.
im sooo worried!

Chiropractic in …
Chiropractic in general is quite safe, but for those who are fearful of manual manipulation, I suggest checking into low-force techniques such as Activator or ProAdjuster. These techniques use instruments that produce gentle taps that ease the joints back into motion. In my experience, low-force methods take a little longer to get the job done than manual techniques, but they work well in most cases and are a lot less frightening to new chiropractic patients.

I’ve been dealing …
I’ve been dealing with lower back pain for years. It also feels like my neck is out as well as between my shoulder blades… I’m afraid to see a chiropractor because it feels like if someone starts torquing on me that they will break me in two. What do u think?

k thanks
k thanks

Unfortunately, no. …
Unfortunately, no. Sciatica with pregnancy is usually due to pressure from the fetus on the sciatic nerve rather than from a bulging disc (which is what this exercise is intended for). Some women with sciatica from pregancy do get relief from low-force chiropractic treatment because it can move the pelvic bones just enough to ease pressure on the nerve. I suggest you consult with a chiropractor who uses either Activator or ProAdjuster. Good luck!

im experiencing …
im experiencing this b/c of pregnancy… so um, will this work?

It’s not so much a …
It’s not so much a problem of overstretching or muscle damage, but it can cause some jamming and/or irritation of the facet joints in the lumbar spine, which in turn can cause some soreness and muscle reaction. This will usually resolve within a few days as you reduce the frequency of the exercise. Applying a cold pack to the low back for about 10 minutes a few times per day helps too. If the soreness remains, it can be alleviated with massage and/or chiropractic treatment.

Hey Doc,

This has …
Hey Doc,

This has been a very beneficial exercise, it has really helped me push the nerve anterior as i suffer from sciatica. Although, i think i may be overusing this stretch. Could there be damage to the muscle tissue in the lower back and upper buttock if the stretch is performed too often. Overstretching?

A couple of …
A couple of possibilities come to mind. The disc may be ruptured so the extension cannot effectively shift the disc material away from the nerve. The other possibility is that you have bone spurring and/or ligament thickening in the joints at the back of the spine. In either case, extension will narrow the space around the nerve and cause greater compression, while flexion opens up the space around the nerve and takes pressure off. I suggest an MRI to further evaluate the situation.

Hi doctor, Ive had …
Hi doctor, Ive had sciatica for over a year now in my right lower back/leg/calf. The pain is the worst when im stading up and not moving. I thought it has been disc related this whole time but doing the mckenzie method causes my whole leg to go numb. forward flexion causes no pain at all. any ideas?

I’m glad to hear …
I’m glad to hear you are doing better. Good luck for continued recovery.

Tx Dr. Best

I …
Tx Dr. Best

I have spent 2 1/2months unable to stand up straight because of L5-S1 disc herniation. All this time I had incredible sciatic pain below the knee. It felt like someone hit my left leg with a bat, litterally, 24/7. A week ago, I was prescribed an anti-inflamatory; diclofenac sodium 75mg. After a week of taking it I now stand up straight and the pain is almost all gone!!! Inflamation, I now realize, is a huge enemy.

Just to add….it …
Just to add….it is refreshing for me to come across someone such as yourself with that sound understanding of the issues and I absolutely agree that each person has different requirements for healing and subsequent strengthening and mobilisation, what works for one sometimes doesn’t work for another.

Whilst I don’t wish these complaints on anyone it helps me greatly to have experienced what I have when dealing with people who have similar complaints and was always a problem when seeking help.

Yes you are …
Yes you are absolutely correct.

As a long-term yoga practitioner and teacher I specialise these days in low back (and a few other bits) due to some long term injuries I have had to deal with which have included various bouts of very serious sciatica once requiring emergency surgery and various long periods of rehab after relapse.

The fundamental anatomical problem remains but I have never had to take medication and my quality of life has always remained high in spite of these complaints.

What seems to be …
What seems to be missed by many health care professionals is that you have to handle each patient as an individual (which requires time and attention that is often missing in today’s “managed care” world). Forward flexion may work very well for someone with spinal stenosis due to facet arthrosis, while people with disc protrusions tend to do better with extension.

Hey there doc, just …
Hey there doc, just bouncing around your various videos and as mentioned it seems you have a very sound understanding of the issues here when there are an awful lot of “medical professionals” who don’t

McKenzie’s understandings, which I also discovered some years ago, were revolutionary at the time and seems are yet to be discovered by some

There are so many awful videos on youtube that promote the complete opposite, that is, forward bending, which tends to aggravate the various complaints

I know you asked …
I know you asked about spinal decompression previously, and if you have not already tried that, I recommend you do so before considering surgery. If you don’t get any noticeable improvement within 5 or 6 sessions, then I’d suggest consulting with a surgeon, preferably one who does “minimally invasive” surgery. The advantages are that you get fast pain relief and there’s minimal scar tissue development with this type of surgery. Good luck!

Hello Dr.

I have …
Hello Dr.

I have been plagued with a L5-S1 disc herniation for 2 months now with NO improvments whatsoever; even though I am resting and not working… I cant stand up straight and am living with sciatic nerve pain 24/7.Also I have lost 10 pounds despite the fact that i am eating normally and inactive… How do I know if am gonna need surgery Doc? What do u think?

Thanks in advance
I wrote to u a month ago… Nick

Depending on the …
Depending on the severity of the underlying disc problem, you might be able to resume your sports, although the more impact your body absorbs, the greater the chance for re-injury. Surgery is the only real option in a few cases, but the vast majority of people can get better without it. In my opinion, surgery is very overused and because it is being used inappropriately in a large number of cases, the overall long-term success is pretty low- about 50%. I advise trying other options first.

hi dr
ive had …
hi dr
ive had sciatic pain for about 7 months and i was just wondering if more extreme sports such as parkour and skate/longboarding will ever be a possibilty for me because i was doing them quite regularly before i injured myself.also my sports doctor belives surgery is the only way im going to be helped how often is sciatic surgery succesful.

Surgery is …
Surgery is necessary in a few cases, especially if the disc is completely ruptured or if there is some other source of nerve compression such as a synovial cyst or bone spur. For more detailed infomation about sciatica treatment options, I suggest you sign up on the website shown on the video for the free ebook and video email course. Good luck!