Looking for Sciatica Pain Exercises: Try these 9 Stretches

We have often heard about the term sciatica pain. Most of us have our own set of definitions of this medical condition. Some people often term it back pain, while for others, it is a pain in the back and legs.

If we are unsure about sciatica pain, how can we choose the correct sciatica exercises?

In this blog, we will cover sciatica pain in detail and the sciatica pain exercises that can give you sustainable benefits.

Sciatica Pain

Sciatica pain radiates along the sciatic nerve. It originates in the spine (lower back) and travels down through the hips & buttocks to the back of the leg. This pain is typically unilateral, affecting only one leg and occasionally both. Sometimes the pain can be so severe that you may not even want to leave your bed and move. The condition is common. According to an article published in the National Library of Medicine, sciatica pain has a lifetime incidence of ten to forty percent.

In most cases, sciatica pain follows the route of the sciatic nerve. The nerve originates at the lower back and reaches each leg through the thigh and buttocks.

What are the common causes of sciatica pain?

Sciatica pain can occur due to any condition occurring along the course of the sciatic nerve.

Some of the common causes of sciatica pain are:

• Injury in the region
• Spinal stenosis or narrowing of the spinal canal
• A ruptured disk/slip disk / intervertebral disk prolapse
• Piriformis Syndrome: The piriformis muscle extends from the edge of the spine in the buttock region to the upper thigh region. Sometimes, the spasm of this muscle traps the underlying sciatic nerve mimicking sciatica pain.

What are the best sciatica pain exercises?

Identifying the part which is not moving is the first step in relieving sciatic pain. In most people, the lower back and the hips are problematic areas. According to many experts, the best way for relieving sciatic nerve pain is to do any sciatica stretches that can externally rotate your hips.

These 9 sciatica stretches can give benefits to most:

Sitting spinal stretch

It is one of the most common sciatica stretches effective in relieving sciatic pain. In this stretch, the person turns on the side to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve. It is effective when sciatica pain is due to compressed nerve root between vertebrae. The sitting spinal stretch creates space in the spine region and relieves pressure on the sciatic nerve.

How to do it?

• With your foot flexed upward, sit on the ground and keep your legs extended in a straight-out position.
• Bend your right knee.
• Put your right foot flat on the floor, crossing the left leg outside the opposite knee.
• Keep your left elbow outside your right knee and gently turn your body in the right direction.
• Repeat three times, each lasting for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Seated glute stretch

It is also one of the most effective stretching exercises for sciatica. Seated glute stretch can be your choice if you seek lower back pain treatment at home.

How to do it?

• Sit on the floor and stretch out your legs straight in front of you.
• Bend your right leg
• Put your right foot near the left knee.
• Lean forward and move your upper body toward your thighs
• Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.

Basic seated stretch

If you want to start with easy-to-do stretching exercises for sciatica, this can be one of your sciatic nerve stretches.

How to do it?

• Sit down on a chair
• Cross your affected leg over the knee of the other leg.
• Bend your upper body forward and keep your spine straight.
• You can continue bending forward as long as it does not hurts. Stop when you start feeling pain.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Repeat the same with the other leg.

Knee to the opposite shoulder

It is one of the sciatic nerve stretches effective in relieving sciatic nerve pain by loosening the inflamed gluteal and piriformis muscles that can compress sciatic nerves.

How to do it?

• Lie down on your back.
• Extend your legs extended and flex your feet upward.
• Bend your right leg from the knee
• Hold the knee with both hands
• Pull your right leg gently towards the left shoulder as far as it doe not hurt.
• Hold the position for 30 seconds.
• Bring your leg to the starting position.
• Repeat it 3 times, then do it with the other leg.

Figure 4 Stretch

It is one of the sciatica pain relief exercises that can stretch the piriformis muscle.

How to do it?

• Lie down flat on your back
• Bend both knees.
• Cross your right foot and put it on the left thigh, across knees
• Move your legs toward the torso until it does not hurt.
• Keep the position for some time.
• Repeat on the other side.

Forward pigeon pose

It is one of the most effective sciatica pain relief exercises.

How to do it? 

• Kneel on the floor.
• Move your right leg forward in front of the body on the ground.
• Keep your lower leg on the ground horizontally to the body.
• Keep the right foot in front of your left knee.
• Your right knee should be on the right.
• Stretch your left leg behind, keeping it on the floor
• The top of your left foot should be on the ground, and your toes should point back.
• Gradually shift your body weight from your arms to your legs.
• Sit up straight and keep your hands on either side of the legs.
• Move your upper body forward over the front leg while exhaling.
• Do the same for the other side.

Standing piriformis stretch

It is one of the few stretches for sciatica pain done in a standing position. You can do a standing piriformis stretch without taking any support or standing against a wall.

How to do it?

• Stand upright
• Keep the painful leg over the knee of the other leg.
• Bend your footed leg and try to create a figure of 4
• Lower your hips to the ground and make an angle of 45 degrees.
• Bend your waist
• Swing your arms, keeping your back straight.
• Keep the position for 30-60 seconds.
• Repeat it after switching the legs.

Standing hamstring stretch

Though there is nothing called immediate relief for sciatica pain stretches, standing hamstring stretches can give quick relief from hamstring tightness due to sciatica.

How to do it?

• Put your right foot at the level of your hip or just below it using an elevated surface such as a chair or a stair
• Flex the elevated foot and keep your toes and leg straight
• Bend the upper body toward your raised foot.
• You can keep bending it until it starts hurting.
• Move the hip of your raised leg downwards rather than lifting it.
• Stay in the position for at least 30 seconds
• Repeat the same for the other side

Scissor hamstring stretch

It is among the most common sciatic nerve exercises. It can alleviate the pressure on the hamstring muscle and is considered one of the most effective sciatica exercises.

The ischial tuberosity (also called the sitz bone) is one of the three components of the pelvic girdle. The other two are the ilium and pubis.

The ischial tuberosity is the point of attachment of the hamstring muscles. If these muscles become tight, they can mimic the symptoms of sciatica.

Scissor hamstring stretch can relax these hamstring muscles and reduces the pressure they put on the sciatic nerve.

How to do it?

• Stand in a posture where your right foot is at least about 3 feet behind the left foot.
• Pull your hips in the forward direction keeping in mind that your right hip should not be more anterior to your left hip.
• Push your shoulders in the backward direction
• Place both of your hands on the hips.
• You can take the support of a chair if you cannot balance.
• Move your upper body part in front by bending your waist.
• Keep your back straight.
• Put most of your body weight on your front leg.
• Hold this position for five to six seconds
• Repeat the exercise with the other leg

Is there something called woman sciatica exercises?

No, there is nothing like woman sciatica exercises. All the sciatic nerve exercises are gender-neutral and effective in both males and females.

Is there any prevention of sciatica?

We have talked a lot about stretches for sciatica pain. But still, the question is can we prevent sciatica? The answer is no, and there are chances it will return.

According to the experts at Narayana Health Hospital, the top private hospital in India, you can decrease your susceptibility by following healthy lifestyle changes:

Regular exercise:

The core muscles (abdomen and lower back muscles) help maintain the body's posture and alignment. Exercise can improve the strength of these core muscles. The stronger core muscles mean a strong back, thus reducing your susceptibility towards sciatica.

A perfect sitting posture:

Always use a chair with the following attributes:

• A good lower back support
• Proper armrests
• Swivel base

You can further enhance the lower back support by placing a pillow or towel roll to support your back's normal curve. Try to keep your knees at the level of your hips while sitting, using proper foot rest.

Take care of your body:

Avoid standing for a long duration. While standing for long hours, rest one of the feet on an elevated surface like a stair alternatively. Avoid lifting heavy goods alone. Do not hesitate to take help from others. Try to hold the load as close as possible to your body. Always put more weight on your legs rather than on your back. Never twist your body while lifting something heavy.

The Conclusion

One of the most efficient ways to manage sciatica pain is through sciatic nerve exercises. The most important aspect is to choose the correct sciatica exercises. The next step is taking a professional's help in performing these sciatica exercises. Remember, initially, you may not have the flexibility desired for the sciatica exercises, but with practice, you can observe the difference.

Dr Pratik Victor - Physiotherapist