When a patient comes in for sciatica physical therapy in the Elizabeth or Jersey City clinics, we always give each patient a personalized home exercise program. Numerous studies show that physical therapy in conjunction with a consistent home exercise program has the best results with getting rid of sciatica pain. But many patients often have the same, burning questions:
How often should I do my exercises? And do I need to do them forever?
The first thing that I’d like to point out is to remember that first, and foremost, please remember that the prescribed home exercises are always for the patient’s own benefit and should be done in its’ entirety. That being said, in order to answer the question, most people we work with in the clinic for sciatica do their home exercises at least once per day…EVERY day.
Some of our patients will do them up to 3 times per day.
With that frequency comes questions of whether or not the home exercise program will continue to stay effective if it never changes. For that, that answer is not so clear cut.
Doing the same exact exercises for years without changing could possibly be a mistake. In general, to get stronger, your exercise should progress and get more difficult. With training, your body adapts. Just keep in mind, there are 2 rules to training:
1. Everything Works
2. Nothing Works Forever.
I know, it sounds confusing. Let me elaborate. This means that any exercise (although painful) may may make you stronger. But once your body adapts, it’s time to move on to something different or more. But that’s why you need stay under the care of a licensed physical therapist. Your therapist is a trained medical professional who will tell you whether your exercise program needs to change. I hope that makes things a little clearer.
Just a last tip. One of the best programs you can move on to once you complete the 3 Phases of Healing for your sciatica is a consistent walking program. People who walk every day are shown to have less risk of re-injuring their back and sciatica.
If you’re still having problems with back pain and sciatica, click the buttons below to make an appointment in our physical therapy clinics ASAP and we’ll help you get rid of your pain TODAY!
Dr. Asha Koshy is a Physical Therapist and co-owner of Complete Physical Rehabilitation in Jersey City and Elizabeth, NJ.
She is a McKenzie certified back pain Physical Therapist specialist, an LSVT BIG certified specialist for Parkinson’s Disease, and also specializes in treating Vestibular conditions relating to vertigo, dizziness, and other balance disorders.