9 Stretches for Sciatica Pain Relief

Sciatica pain begins in your lower back and moves down your legs. Relieve the pain with moves such as a seated glute stretch, pigeon pose, and standing hamstring stretch.

What is the sciatic nerve?

What is the sciatic nerve?
Sciatic nerve pain can be so excruciating and debilitating that you don’t even want to get off the couch. You probably know more than one person with this condition, as it’s relatively common, with a lifetime incidence of 10-40 %.
The sciatic nerve begins at your lower back and then moves through your hips, buttocks, and down each of your legs. Sciatic pain will usually follow the path of the sciatic nerve in the affected leg. It happens when there’s a compression or irritation of a nerve anywhere along this pathway.
Common causes of sciatica can include:
a ruptured disk
narrowing of the spine canal (called spinal stenosis)
injury
Christy Snyder
SCIATICA PAIN RELIEF
Managing flare ups
The root cause of my sciatica pain is from weightlifting. I was in a group personal training class for about 4 months before I had symptoms. I was lifting heavy for my size and was able to deadlift 70 pounds with the help of my instructor. I took some time off from the class to go to physical therapy, where they were kind and helpful. Once I learned some exercises to help reduce my pain and started feeling relief, I went back to the weightlifting class. Sadly, the pain came back quickly, despite lifting much lighter. I ended up quitting the class because I didn’t want to do anything that would cause more chronic pain. Since then, I’ve stuck with long city walks, swimming, and yoga for exercise.
Was this helpful?
Sciatic pain can also happen due to a condition called piriformis syndrome. Your piriformis muscle extends from your buttocks at the edge of your spine all the way to the top of your thigh at the back. Sometimes this muscle can spasm and trap the sciatic nerve, which is located nearby. This can result in sciatic pain.
Licensed physical therapist Mindy Marantz says that sciatica pain can occur for a variety of reasons. “Identifying what doesn’t move is the first step toward solving the problem,” she explains. Often, the most problematic body parts are the lower back and hips.
Dr. Mark Kovacs, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, adds that the best way to alleviate most sciatica pain is to do “any stretch that can externally rotate the hip to provide some relief.”
Here are 9 exercises that do just that:
sitting glute stretch
sitting spinal stretch
basic seated stretch
Figure 4 stretch
knee to opposite shoulder
forward pigeon pose
standing hamstring stretch
standing piriformis stretch
scissor hamstring stretch

* Are you looking for Info & Tips? You can find it below *

(Vitamin6 healthinfo category)

1. Seated glute stretch

1. Seated glute stretch
Share on Pinterest
In the seated glute stretch, you sit cross-legged.
Goodboy Picture Company/Getty Images
Sit on the floor or a chair with your legs out in front of you.
Bend your right leg, putting your right ankle on top of the left knee.
Lean forward and allow your upper body to reach toward your thigh.
Hold for 15-30 seconds. This stretches the glutes and lower back.
Repeat on the other side.

2. Sitting spinal stretch

2. Sitting spinal stretch
Share on Pinterest
In the sitting spinal stretch, turn to your side to help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Gif by Active Body Creative Mind.
Sciatica pain is triggered when vertebrae in the spine compress. This stretch helps create space in the spine to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Sit on the ground with your legs extended straight out with your feet flexed upward.
Bend your right knee and place your foot flat on the floor on the outside of your opposite knee.
Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee to help you gently turn your body toward the right.
Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times, then switch sides.

Share on Pinterest
While stretching each leg in the basic seated stretch, remember to keep your back straight.
Active Body Creative Mind

3. Basic seated stretch
Share on Pinterest
While stretching each leg in the basic seated stretch, remember to keep your back straight.
Active Body Creative Mind
You begin this stretch by sitting down on a chair and crossing your painful leg over the knee of your other leg. Then follow these steps:
Bend forward with your chest and try to hold your spine straight. As long as it’s not painful, try to bend over a bit more. Stop if you feel any pain.
Keep this position for 30 seconds and repeat the exercise with the other leg.

Share on Pinterest
The figure-4 stretch can help stretch the piriformis muscle.
Gif by Active Body Creative Mind.

4. Figure 4 stretch
Share on Pinterest
The figure-4 stretch can help stretch the piriformis muscle.
Gif by Active Body Creative Mind.
The figure-4 stretch can help you open your hips. There are multiple versions of this stretch, but for purpose of relieving sciatic nerve pain, you can follow the following directions:
Lie flat on your back and bend both your knees.
Cross your right foot over your left thigh, moving your legs up toward the torso.
Hold the position for a moment and then repeat on the other side
It’s important not to force this stretch. Instead, allow gravity to bring your legs closer to your body more naturally, achieving a deeper stretch.

Share on Pinterest
The knee to opposite shoulder stretch is done while lying flat on your back.
Gif by Active Body Creative Mind.

5. Knee to the opposite shoulder
Share on Pinterest
The knee to opposite shoulder stretch is done while lying flat on your back.
Gif by Active Body Creative Mind.
This simple stretch helps relieve sciatica pain by loosening your gluteal and piriformis muscles, which can become inflamed and press against the sciatic nerve.
Lie on your back with your legs extended, and your feet flexed upward.
Bend your right leg and clasp your hands around the knee.
Gently pull your right leg across your body toward your left shoulder. Hold it there for 30 seconds. Remember to pull your knee only as far as it will comfortably go. You should feel a relieving stretch in your muscle, not pain.
Push your knee, so your leg returns to its starting position.
Repeat for a total of 3 reps, then switch legs.

Share on Pinterest
To do the standing hamstring stretch, begin by standing, and place your right foot on a higher surface, like a chair.
Gif by Active Body Creative Mind.

6. Standing hamstring stretch
Share on Pinterest
To do the standing hamstring stretch, begin by standing, and place your right foot on a higher surface, like a chair.
Gif by Active Body Creative Mind.
This stretch can help ease pain and tightness in the hamstring caused by sciatica.
Place your right foot at or below your hip level on an elevated surface. This could be a chair, ottoman, or step on a staircase. Flex your foot, so your toes and leg are straight. If your knee tends to hyperextend, keep a slight bend in it.
Bend your body forward slightly toward your foot. The further you go, the deeper the stretch. Don’t push so far that you feel pain.
Release the hip of your raised leg downward as opposed to lifting it up. If you need help easing your hip down, loop a yoga strap or long exercise band over your right thigh and under your left foot.
Hold for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Share on Pinterest
You can hold your hands on your hips for extra balance while in the standing piriformis stretch.
Active Body Creative Mind

7. Standing piriformis stretch
Share on Pinterest
You can hold your hands on your hips for extra balance while in the standing piriformis stretch.
Active Body Creative Mind
This is another standing stretch that can help with sciatica pain. You can do this without support if you’re able, but it can be hard to balance. Instead, you can also stand against a wall and place your feet about 24 inches from the wall.
Put your painful leg over the knee of your other leg while standing. Bend your standing leg and try to make the number 4 with your hips lowered to the ground at a 45-degree angle.
Bend your waist and swing your arms while holding your back straight. Stay in the position for 30-60 seconds.
Switch legs and repeat.