Exercises: How to Stop Sciatic Nerve and Back Pain with a Tennis Ball

Back pain remedies tend to be quite expensive for most of us and we tend to end up using quick-relief pain medication found at the counter. However, there's a longer-lasting and cheaper way you can relieve the pesky ailment.

Over-the-counter treatments are meant to be used to take away the pain while massage therapy gets more to the root of the problem, but the latter can be very expensive for some.

If you're suffering from lower back pain or sciatica, why not try a home remedy instead. All you'll need is two tennis balls, duct tape, some floor space, and no more than 15 minutes every day.

The process

First, place the ball side by side touching each other and use the duct tape to secure them together. The resulting shape should be a peanut.

When you're done, put the balls on the floor and lay down over them on your back. The balls should be pressing just above your lower back and parallel to the waist.

Bend your knees and make sure you are balanced as well as comfortable. Then lift and stretch out your arms towards the ceiling, keeping them as straight as you can.

Starting with either arm, lower it slowly toward your head then bring it back up. Bring it down again, this time to the ground, and hold it there for a couple of seconds.

Finish by returning your arm to the starting position and go on to do the other side. Do this at least five times on each side. In addition to this, it's helpful to exercise every day for back health.

Single tennis ball massage

If for some reason you can't get your hand on two tennis balls, feel free to use one ball to massage the area. Just lay down on the ball, holding it underneath your upper thigh, back, or buttock, and slowly move about.

Look for sore spots and work on them, but if you feel any sharp pains, stop immediately. Be sure not to roll the ball directly over the spine at any point in time.

People swear by the tennis ball method and it is said to get rid of tension and rigidity of the pinched sciatic nerve. If you're doing the massage exercise, remain in sore spots for 30-60 seconds each or until the pain stops.

It should take you 5-10 minutes to complete. It works by targeting the trigger points in the piriformis muscle. By pressing on these muscles, they become more relaxed and tension-free.

Alternative methods

There are other ways to take care of back pain and a couple of them are just as cheap. Some yoga poses are particularly helpful for the back, while rubbing anti-inflammatory oils in sore areas is an inexpensive method that also works.

You can also try acupuncture, trigger point massage, going to a chiropractor, and pilates. Of course, you should check with your doctor before attempting any of these methods.

Prevent back pain in the first place

Ideally, you want to avoid back pain in the first place. Some ways you can do this are by drinking lots of water, getting sufficient sleep, and sitting with proper posture.

If you sit for lengthy periods of time, be sure to stand up at least every hour. Increasing your Vitamin D and K2 intake and decreasing or better yet totally cutting off cigarette smoking will also help.

Finally, yoga and stretching, in general, can help you avoid back pain. In particular, seated stretching, hip extensions, and groin stretching address the relevant areas.