Lumbar Radiculopathy develops when an irritated or compressed spinal nerve in the low back is exposed, leading to weakness, tingling or numbness in either the neck and arm (cervical Radiculopathy) or the lower back and leg (lumbar Radiculopathy). These symptoms may also include weakness, tingling or numbness in these regions of your body.
Lumbar radiculopathy often improves with time and conservative treatments such as physical therapy, medication and surgery.
Hip Flexor Stretch
The hip flexor muscles are a group of four muscles located on the front of your upper thigh that help bend your knee and hip as well as pull your leg toward your body, including iliacus, psoas major and rectus femoris muscles. Prolonged sitting can cause these muscles to shorten and tighten up, leading to hip pain; by stretching these muscles frequently to loosen them up you may reduce spinal pressure while alleviating your symptoms of hip discomfort.
This stretch can be performed either on the floor or bench with or without a pillow. Start by lying on your back with arms at sides, legs extended in front of you. Place one foot on a bench while keeping other at hip-distance apart on floor; bend left knee towards chest while placing right hand on front leg for support and balance – hold this position for 30 seconds on either side and then repeat on opposite side.
Standing lunge is another effective exercise for stretching and strengthening hip flexors. Begin by standing up tall with feet together, and bend forward at waist until a stretch in back leg hip flexor muscle occurs; hold for 30 seconds before repeating 2-3 repetitions on either side.
Participating in these exercises regularly can help reduce and prevent hip pain from returning, though you should always consult with a healthcare provider or physical therapist if any movements hurt or exacerbate your discomfort. They will be able to suggest proper posture adjustments that help alleviate hip pain without aggravating daily life activities such as walking.
Symptoms may include back and leg pain; HSS spine specialists can quickly and accurately identify lumbar radiculopathy with X-rays, MRI or CT scans and electromyography to measure nerve function. They may prescribe medication or physical therapy treatments, while in more extreme cases surgical intervention might be required.
Leg Lifts
The leg lift is an effective and straightforward exercise to strengthen back and leg muscles, targeting hip flexors on both sides of your body, quadriceps at the front of your thighs, adductor muscle in inner leg – all crucial muscles for posture control. Furthermore, it strengthens core abdominal, back, pelvic floor muscles – all essential for optimal recovery from lumbar radiculopathy symptoms and speedier healing times.
Herniated discs can lead to lumbar radiculopathy, which is lower-back pain that radiates to your buttocks and legs. Other possible causes of lumbar radiculopathy may include spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal as you age); osteoarthritis in facet joints; or trauma. All these conditions may compress or pinch spinal nerves resulting in pain as well as weakness, numbness and tingling sensations along the affected area of lumbar region.
Lumbar Radiculopathy usually affects nerves in the lower spine; however, tight muscles in hips, buttocks, and lower back may contribute to it as well. Stretching these muscles may improve posture while relieving chronic back pain.
The seated leg lift is an alternative to traditional standing leg lifting that targets all of the same muscles — but with additional leg strength being put into play. It is especially helpful if you find it difficult to bend your back when performing traditional versions as this seated version allows you to perform it without strain or backache.
Add weights or use your own bodyweight as resistance, such as adding weights. This will challenge your muscles more and build more strength over time. To prevent hurting your lower back, don’t raise your feet too high off the floor – try keeping them a few inches above it, while gradually increasing repetitions over time.
Beginners-friendly leg lift variation that can be completed from the comfort of their own home. Simply lie on the floor with legs extended straight in front and arms alongside, palms down. Bend knees to a 90-degree angle before slowly raising your right leg until it reaches parallel with the floor – repeat this exercise on both legs to complete one set.
Abdominal Stretches
Core muscles provide support to the spine, but when people spend most of their day sitting down they can become very tight and tighten even further. A tight core can also contribute to postural issues that place undue strain on spinal nerves. Abdominal stretches are beneficial in maintaining an equilibrium between strength and flexibility for these core muscles.
Physical therapists can lead their patients through exercises designed to stretch abdominal muscles and increase back flexibility, which will enable them to move and exercise more freely, reduce pain, improve posture and potentially avoid back surgery.
One such abdominal stretching exercise is the prone press-up or cobra pose, in which patients lie on their stomach with palms firmly planted on the floor directly beneath their shoulders and press into them actively as he/she lifts his chest into a mild backbend. It should be completed until any pain or discomfort increases significantly and should be repeated according to physical therapist’s directions.
Standing Lean Back Exercise is another effective abdominal stretching move that helps develop hip extension, spinal extension, and chest opening. This exercise can be completed on any stable surface such as an exercise ball, chair or even the ground.
The spine is made up of 33 individual bones known as vertebrae connected by interconnected discs that act like cushions to cushion the vertebrae and protect them. The spinal cord runs down its center before exiting through openings on either side. Nerves exiting through the lumbar spine travel to power leg muscles; when compressed they can cause lumbar radiculopathy – an often avoidable condition which can be avoided through regular exercise, sitting less for extended periods, performing regular workouts and having a balanced workout regime. If symptoms arise it’s important that consult a physician or physical therapist should be sought as soon as possible to ensure proper treatment is undertaken.
Spinal Rotations
Spinal rotation may not come to mind immediately when discussing athletic abilities or movement patterns, yet most people rely on this ability for daily life and some sports. Poor spinal rotation can lead to issues in the neck, shoulders and back that eventually require treatment.
Spinal rotation involves different muscle activities: some contract to rotate the spine while others relax or neutralize its movement, creating an integrated movement essential to spinal stability. Cervical spinal rotation tends to be greatest while it decreases as you reach lumbrosacral region with additional lateral rotation occurring concurrently with this movement.
Turning of the spine can be an excruciatingly painful movement if there are herniated discs or spinal stenosis present, as these conditions cause narrowing of nerve foramina that enter and leave the spine, compressing or irritating spinal cord tissues, which in turn compresses or irritates them. Such conditions typically arise as part of natural aging processes or due to trauma.
Physical therapy can be an effective solution for lumbar radiculopathy. Physical therapists have the training needed to identify the specific root cause of your symptoms and can teach exercises designed to alleviate them. Your physician may even recommend medication that will reduce pain and inflammation.
Exercise can play an essential role in healing from herniated disks or spinal stenosis, but you must consult your medical provider first before embarking on an exercise regimen to make sure it won’t exacerbate symptoms further. Exercise programs for lumbar radiculopathy typically include stretching, posture training, strengthening and endurance exercises performed under guidance of a physical therapist to make sure they don’t make your condition worse. Alliance Physical Therapy Partners team of physical therapists specialize in this condition and can assess it and create personalized plans designed to reduce pain while increasing quality of life – contact us now to start healing!
