This is Causing Your Sciatica/Back Pain! How to Stop

What’s Causing Your Sciatica or Back Pain — and How to Stop It

Sciatica and back pain often do not happen randomly. In many cases, a certain movement, posture, position, injury, or daily habit may be triggering the pain. We refer to this trigger as a “pain maker.”

A pain maker can be something as simple as slouching at your computer, bending incorrectly to pick something up, getting out of bed with a rounded back, vacuuming, making the bed, or lifting a laundry basket with poor posture. These small daily movements may not seem like much, but repeated over time, they can place stress on the discs, ligaments, and joints of the spine.

One of the most common pain makers for sciatica and low back pain is the “C position”—a slumped, slouched, or rounded-back posture. This position can increase stress on the back part of the spinal discs and may contribute to bulging discs, herniated discs, nerve irritation, and sciatic pain that travels into the buttock, thigh, calf, or foot.

Many people do not realize their pain is being caused or worsened by everyday habits. For example, brushing your teeth while bent forward, sitting in a low car seat, leaning toward a computer screen, or standing with poor posture may all aggravate sciatica symptoms. In some cases, simply changing posture, using a cushion in the car, or switching between sitting and standing at a desk can make a significant difference.

The goal of this part of the Bob and Brad Sciatica Program is to help you identify your personal pain makers and learn how to avoid or modify them. By reducing repeated stress on the spine and avoiding the C position, you give your back a better chance to calm down, heal, and recover.

Recognizing these daily triggers is an important first step in managing sciatica, low back pain, herniated discs, bulging discs, and nerve-related leg pain.