Pain with radiation into the legs

Some types of back pain also radiate down into your legs. If this is the case, you’ll often feel that the pain in your back continues down into your legs and causes a painful or tingling feeling in one or both legs.

Find the right program for you

Why does it hurt?

Back pain that radiates into your legs can have many different causes. The phenomenon is called sciatica, because the pain is sometimes caused by an inflammation of the sciatic nerve that runs from the lower part of your back and into your legs. However, other reasons could be that pain in your back’s muscles or ligaments radiates into your legs. The most common causes are:

  1. Acute injury: Your back is subjected to a sudden and often overwhelming strain.

  2. Excessive strain: Muscles and ligaments in your back are subjected to an unaccustomed strain over a longer period of time.

  3. Degeneration: Your back’s muscles and ligaments become weaker and stiffer with age, which naturally increases the risk of injury and pain that radiates into your legs.

Pain is the body’s way of telling you that you need to ease the strain on your back. Two things are critical in treating your pain:

  • If the pain is acute or suddenly gets worse, avoid or reduce the frequency of the activity that causes pain.

  • Perform exercises that strengthen your abdominal and back muscles to reduce the risk of future injuries.

How Injurymap treats your back and leg pain

Injurymap’s program for treating combined back and leg pain consists of exercises that rehabilitate and stimulate the muscles in your back. The first exercises focus on light mobility, which will prepare you for the stability and strength exercises that will return your back to normal. Stretching exercises are also a part of the program, and they will help ensure your mobility and help you avoid future injuries.

Diagnoses

  • Sciatica
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Piriformis syndrome
  • Disc protrusion
  • Lumbago with sciatica
  • Piriformis syndrome

Exercises for Pain with radiation into the legs

  1. Curl and sway on knees
    10 reps x 1 sets

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    • Lie on your hands and knees.
    • Curb your back then slowly sway it the other way.
    • Move slowly so that the full movement takes between 2 and 4 seconds.
    • The entire series represents one repetition.
    • Perform 10 repetitions without pausing.
  2. McKenzie bent arm
    5 reps

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    • Lie on your stomach.
    • Lift your upper body up with your arms so your back sways backward.
    • Relax the abdominal and back muscles.
    • Hold the position for 10 seconds and then return to the starting position.
    • Perform 5 repetitions.
  3. Leg lift on the floor I
    5 reps x 1 sets

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    • Lie on your back with bent knees and your feet placed flat on the floor.
    • Place your hands on your lower back and press it down towards the floor by sucking in your belly and flexing your abdominal muscles.
    • Lift your feet slightly up from the floor and hold the position for 2-4 seconds and then lower them again.
    • Make sure that your hands do not lose contact with your lower back.
    • Perform 5 repetitions.

Treat your pain with Injurymap

Download the app to get a customized program that addresses your specific pain with exercises.