Back and Leg Pain

Qigong and stretching for lower back and leg pain.

General advice

• Very serious sciatica and related conditions require a doctor's attention.
• Avoid wind, cold, wetness.
• Refrain from excessive drinking and eating.
• Hydrate. Avoid being tired and thirsty.
• Massage and heat at the point of pain, but also above and below the pain.
• Be patient and persistent. It can take more than a month to eliminate lower back pain / sciatica with qigong. Do some exercises every day or twice a day. Start with simpler ones; move on to more strenuous ones.
• Codes and names like K27 and "Elegant Mansion" are acupressure points.

Deep breathing and massage (standing)

• Squeeze core. Tongue on palate. Three breaths in, without exhales in between. Hold. Long, slow exhale. 3 times.
• Abdominal breathing until the mind is calm and breathing is slow and relaxed.
• Massage "Elegant Mansion" (K27): below the clavicle, near the top of the sternum.

Traditional qigong exercises (standing)

Move slowly and gracefully, with a circular feeling. Breathe deeply but relaxed. Hold slightly longer at the fullest extent on each repetition.

• Looking Backwards.
• Support Sky with Both Hands. Lifting up, pushing down.
  • Forward, turning to the left, turning to the right.
• Turn Trunk and Push Palm.
• With palms on "Sea of Vitality" (B23, on kidneys)…
  • Slowly rotate the head while massaging by pushing down.
  • Circle lumbar spine and hip, big slow deliberate circles.
• Lift arms to side, rotate palms and shoulder joints. Forward, back.
• Big shoulder shrugs followed by "Dropping the Qi".
• Nine Ghosts Draw Sabers; one arm back, other over head; big spiral twists.
• Bow Stance, Thread Palm up and to left, to right.
• Look at Your Feet; Head Shakes, Butt Sways.
• Reach to sky with the other hand in a fist at side, then reach down to massage…
  • behind the outer ankles, at the end of the fibula (smaller leg bone):
    • "High Mountain" (B60);
  • below the outer ankles, where the fibula connects to the tarsal (foot bone):
    • "Calm Sleep" (B62).
• Press Both Palms to Top of Feet.
• Diagonal horse stance; straighten one knee and bend head to knee, then bend back and up.

Stretching exercises (seated)

Don't bounce. Move slowly. Breathe. Hold the stretch a bit longer each repetition.

• Cross-legged. Clasp hands behind head. Bend forward. Repeat to loosen.
• Extend legs. Cross one over the other. Either both hands behind on the ground, or one hand behind, the other grasping the knee; turn, look in the opposite direction from the crossed leg. Repeat to loosen.
• Extend one leg. "Half lotus": one leg straight, holding the other foot up to groin. Reach, grasp extended foot with hand on same side. Massage the ball of the foot, "Bubbling Spring" (K1).
• Butterfly pose; soles touching, feet pulled in towards groin as much as possible. Bend forward, intending to touch head to floor.
• Extend one leg. "Half lotus", but foot not pulled up, just tucked in by groin. Reach up with both hands, palms together. Bend to grasp sole of extended foot, intending to touch head to knee while looking up.
• Seated. Rotate arms, thumbs forward, from abdomen to "Sea of Vitality" (B23).
• Legs forward. Reach forward laterally in a big circle to hold feet, or to maximum stretch. Relax. Inhale. Pull feet in, then repeat.
• Lie on back. Pull left knee to chest and hold. …Right knee. Repeat.
• Lie on back. Bridge pose. Feet separated, push down with hands, extended neck and back. Relax. Repeat.

Deep breathing and massage

Sitting, preferably cross-legged, but comfortably.

• Deep abdominal breathing until the mind is calm and breathing is slow and relaxed.