How should I sit when I have sciatica?
Sit with your hips and knees at a similar height, your feet flat and a small support behind your lower back. Then stand and walk at regular intervals instead of staying put until you stiffen.
Sciatica is pain that runs from the lower back or buttock down the leg, from an irritated nerve. Sitting changes the pressure on that nerve, so small adjustments make a real difference.
What is the best set-up at a desk or at home?
At a desk, the chair should let your feet rest flat with the knees about level with the hips. Put a rolled towel or a lumbar cushion in the curve of your lower back, and bring your screen to eye height.
Working from home on a dining chair or the sofa is harder. Use a firm chair, a cushion behind the back, and a box or books under the feet if they dangle. Our guide on desk jobs and neck and back pain in Ipoh has more set-ups.
What about the car and the highway?
Long drives from Ipoh to KL or Penang are a common trigger. Sit all the way back in the seat, adjust the backrest so your lower back is supported and keep the knees slightly bent.
Plan stops at the rest areas along the highway. Get out and walk for a few minutes before the leg pain builds. Our page on long drives and back pain covers this in detail, and back pain for drivers helps if driving is your job.
How do I cope with kopitiam stools and floor sitting?
Backless stools at the kopitiam and the hawker court give no support. Choose a chair with a back where you can, and sit forward only for short meals.
At a wedding, a family gathering or during prayers, sitting cross-legged on the floor may flare the leg. Try a thin cushion, legs stretched out, or a low chair.
Stand up between courses. If you cannot avoid the floor, ask a family member to bring a folding chair.
How long should I sit before moving?
Stand and walk when you first notice tingling or heaviness in the leg, not once the pain is strong. For most people that is somewhere around half an hour, but it varies.
Set a phone reminder, or stand whenever you finish a task or a call. Walk for a minute or two, then sit again. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that staying active can help low back pain [1].
Which warning signs need a doctor?
Go to the emergency department at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun or a private hospital in Ipoh for these signs. They are numbness around the groin or inner thighs, trouble passing urine or controlling the bowel, or a leg that is getting weaker.
Our page on back pain: when to worry lists other signs. If the pain does not ease after a few weeks of sensible care, ask a doctor to review it.
How can a physiotherapist help at home?
We watch how you sit, stand and move, and look at your own chair, bed and car seat. Then we give you exercises to settle the nerve, strengthen the back and hips and make sitting easier.
Home physiotherapy in Ipoh means we can adjust the chair at your own dining table. For the condition itself, read about sciatica and slipped disc. Our Canning Garden centre is opening soon for those who prefer to come to us.