To Your Good Health: Common back pain often goes away

Q: I am a 78-year-old semi-retired man. I am very active and work part time as a truck driver.

[Kathi Casey]

Dear 78 yr. old retiree,
I have had many clients who drive trucks that end up with sciatica. Seems to go hand in hand with the job. The good news is that there are a few stretches which will help relieve your pain and if you do them every day, they'll keep it away. You should check with your doctor first, but as long as he says it's ok to exercise (and most of the agree it's the best thing) then here's one you can try: Sit on a folded blanket on the floor with your legs extended. Bend your right knee and place that foot on the outside of the left leg. Keep yourself as relaxed as possible, so if you need to rest the right knee on a pillow, do that. Then inhale deeply as you lengthen your spine and exhale as you lean forward over your legs with a flat back as far as what's comfortable for you. You should feel this stretch all the way from your hip to your knee. This stretches all the muscles along the sciatic nerve. Most of the time, one of them is very tense and pressing on the nerve so by stretching you'll loosen the muscles up and relieve some of the pain.
Best of Health,
www.HealthyBoomerBody.com

[dave]

Hi
The stretches that Kathi describes can be very helpful, but something to check is where do you carry your wallet.

I have seen more than one man with an overly thick wallet bouncing in a truck all day, and that wallet pounding on the sciatic nerve in their buttock.
Try carrying your wallet in a front pocket to see if that makes a difference.
Just another idea
Dave
http://www.living-with-back-pain.org/