Suffering from sciatica is a painful condition that affects the lower back and legs. In this condition, finding a comfortable sitting position becomes very challenging, especially in a recliner. Well, there are strategies you can use to sit in a recliner with sciatica that can help ease your discomfort and allow you to relax in style.
In this blog post, I’ll explore some practical tips and useful techniques to help you find the perfect reclining position to alleviate sciatic nerve pain and make your recliner your new best friend. If you have what this guide is about, grab your favourite blanket, kick back, and dive into the world of recliners and sciatica relief!
Key Takeaways
[su_note note_color=”#ffe466″]Recliners can be beneficial for people with sciatica as they allow for slight hip flexion and back support, relieving pressure on the spine and providing a more comfortable sleeping position.
Proper posture and positioning are important when sitting in a recliner with sciatica, including maintaining the natural curvature of the spine, using a lumbar pillow or rolled towel for lower back support, and keeping knees bent and feet down to avoid arching the back.
Incorporating regular stretches into your routine and being mindful of your body positioning in the recliner can help alleviate muscle tension and reduce discomfort associated with sciatica.[/su_note]
What Exactly Is Sciatica?
A sciatic nerve disorder is characterized by leg pain and stiffness along its course. Branches of the sciatic nerve travel from the lower back down the hips and buttocks to each leg. An example of a herniated disc is a narrowing of the disc space within the spine, which can put pressure on a portion of the nerve, causing sciatica.
When you sit on a recliner for a more extended time in an inappropriate or irregular position due to unequal body weight balance, your back body or hips will have a more significant portion of the weight to handle, eventually putting pressure on the sciatic nerve ultimately causing sciatica.
Is A Recliner Good Or Bad For Sciatica?
People dealing with sciatica pain usually feel better sleeping on a recliner, and physicians also recommend doing so. Sleeping on a recliner can be a good option if you have a bad back (back pain) or sciatica and face difficulty sleeping.
When you sit on a recliner, your hips are slightly flexed, and you can lean back to relieve pressure on your spine. But remember that you don’t have to lean back too far. As we discussed earlier, it will worsen your body’s pain.
Why Does Sciatica Make Sitting Difficult?
Sciatica is a condition characterized by pain, tingling, or numbness that radiates along the sciatic nerve’s path, originating from nerve roots located in the lower back. When you sit on a couch or in a chair without proper support, it can exacerbate the symptoms of sciatica and make sitting difficult for several reasons:
- Shrinking of nerve root space – Sitting on a couch or in a chair can cause a significant arch in the lower back, which can compress or shrink the space where the nerve roots are, leading to irritation and pain.
- Odd posture – Sitting on a couch or in a chair may cause you to adopt an odd posture, such as slouching or sitting with your legs crossed, which can increase the pressure on the sciatic nerve, leading to misalignment of the spine and exacerbate sciatica symptoms.
- Lack of back support – When your back is not adequately supported while sitting, the muscles in your back cannot relax and rest properly. This can result in increased muscle tension and strain, irritating the sciatic nerve and worsening sciatica symptoms.
How To Sit In Recliner With Sciatica?
The sciatic nerve is sensitive when you are dealing with sciatica. You must be careful to get comfortable sleep and get rest. We have discussed some helpful tips for sitting on a recliner in this condition.
1. Be Mindful of Your Posture and Positioning.
When seated in a recliner, it’s important to be mindful of your posture and positioning to prevent unnecessary strain on your spine, which could exacerbate sciatica. The recliner’s backrest should support the natural curvature of your spine, and your feet should either be flat on the ground or resting on a footrest.
2. Find A Comfortable Position on the Recliner.
Reach a position on the chair where you can rest your back on the recliner’s backrest by scooting back into it.
3. Incorporate Regular Stretches Into Your Routine.
When your muscles are tense, it can potentially aggravate the sciatic nerve, leading to discomfort in the buttocks and legs.
To prevent this, incorporate gentle stretches into your routine before sitting down. Additionally, continue with regular stretching after standing up to keep your muscles relaxed and loose.
4. Ensure You Have Given Your Back With Proper Support.
Ensure that your lower back is not arched and that there is no space left between your back and the recliner. Even if there is any, utilize a lumbar pillow or a rolled towel to fill this space and provide support to your lower back.
This simple adjustment can alleviate pressure on your sciatic nerve while still allowing you to reap the benefits of reclining, even when dealing with back pain.
5. Keep Your Knees Bent and Feet Down.
When you recline your chair, you should not keep your legs and knees in a straight flat position which will cause an arch in your back and can cause sciatica.
Therefore, to have a comfortable position to rest, you should try to bend your knees and place your feet in the down position, making an excellent relaxed posture for your body.
Here i’ve explained about the recliner for right arm surgery.
How To Sit In an Office Chair With Sciatica?
It is advised to sit upright with the shoulders folded back, and the shoulder blades down to reduce tension on the sciatic nerve while seated. Legs should be hip-width apart, and feet should be flat on the ground.
Sitting on an office chair while having sciatica can be challenging; we have some helpful tips in such a case;
- Try not to close your legs while sitting.
- Your feet should be lying on the floor in a straight position.
- This point is a must-follow; make a good posture while sitting, and ensure that your back and legs create a 45 degrees angle. Your back should touch the chair; it shouldn’t be elevated, and there must be no distance between your hips and the chair.
- If your chair has wheels, use them. It means by utilizing the chair’s wheels every time you have to move, try not to move or twist your body and use the body as a single unit.
FAQs
Can Sit In a Recliner Cause Sciatica?
Yes, sitting on a recliner to rest or sleep for a while can be a great relief, but sitting on a recliner for a very long period can have negative consequences. Also, if you have not maintained a good posture while sitting on a recliner, such as your complete body is not aligned.
Also, if there is some space left between you and the recliner, it can also have negative consequences. The entire body is unbalanced, causing unbalanced body weight and great stress on your back, especially your lower back causing pain, eventually resulting in sciatica.
When a Recliner Becomes Bad for Sciatica?
When you inappropriately lie on the recliner, it creates lumbar extension, especially when you are not adjusting your back with the recliner. There is some space left between you and the recliner.
Now, this empty support is not ideal for your body as it will give an arch to the body. This kind of extension can lead to a painful situation which eventually can cause sciatica.
Does Sitting In a Recliner Help Sciatica?
In such cases, recliners can be a good option when dealing with sciatica. Many people are dealing with sciatica, and the doctors also prefer it; it helps them to fall asleep better. Sitting properly on a recliner will help relieve pain in your lower back muscles and give you proper rest.
Make sure that while sitting on a recliner, your body makes a good posture, and there is no space left between you and the recliner. A bad posture can make the situation worse.
Is Sleeping In a Recliner Good for Sciatica?
Yes, sitting on a recliner is helpful for people dealing with sciatica. If you are dealing with sciatica, you can easily fall asleep on a recliner instead of a bed.
Also, sleeping on a recliner in such cases is recommended by physicians and doctors too. You can utilize reclining chairs to ease the strain on your lower back muscles and spinal discs while dealing with sciatica.
