Stretches for Sciatica From a Neurosurgeon

Sciatica is an incredibly common cause of pain — as many as 40% of people experience it in their lives and it commonly occurs with age. Despite its widespread effect, sciatica is not well understood. In addition to working with a spine specialist and learning about this condition, regular stretching is a great practice you can do at home to ease your pain and tension. 

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a medical term that describes a varied distribution of symptoms that radiate down the path of the sciatic nerve, from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down the legs. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body and creates a network of nerves traveling from your lower back to your feet. The nerves affected can cause symptoms like sharp, shooting pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or skin hypersensitivity on either one or both legs.

Your type of sciatica is classified by the underlying root cause of the symptoms and will be diagnosed by a spine surgeon. Types of this condition include short-term sciatica, chronic sciatica, sciatica that impacts one side and then the other or both sides simultaneously, and radicular, shooting pain. Determining your underlying cause and the type of sciatica you have is essential in treating your spine and easing your pain. 

What are the Benefits of Stretching for Sciatica?

Stretching can be beneficial for those experiencing pain and discomfort along their sciatic nerve. Sciatica often involves tight muscles in the lower back, buttocks, and legs. Stretching these muscles can help relieve tension and reduce the compression on the sciatic nerve, which alleviates pain. It can also improve blood circulation in the muscles and joints, which further relieves tension and stiffness. Stretching also enhances the spine’s natural range of motion by improving flexibility.

Best Stretches for Sciatica

Stretching can be extremely beneficial to relieve stiffness and tension in muscles and nerves. When stretching, it is important to use good posture and not strain your back. Remember to take deep, long breaths while you are stretching and hold your positions to build up your flexibility. Here are my top stretching recommendations for pain associated with sciatica:

Reclining Pigeon Pose:

• Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor.
• Lift your right leg and rest your right ankle on your left knee.
• Grasp the back of your left thigh and gently pull towards your chest.
• Hold for 20–30 seconds and switch sides.

Seated Forward Fold:

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you.
• Slowly bend forward at the hips, reaching for your toes or shins.
• Hold for 20–30 seconds, breathing deeply.

Knee to Opposite Shoulder Stretch:

• Lie on your back with your legs extended.
• Bring your right knee towards your chest.
• Use your hands to pull your knee across your body towards your left shoulder.
• Hold for 20–30 seconds and switch sides.

Cat-Cow Stretch:

• Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
• Inhale and arch your back, lowering your belly towards the floor (cow pose).
• Exhale and round your back towards the ceiling (cat pose).
• Repeat 10–15 times, moving slowly with your breath.

Child’s Pose:

• Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels.
• Extend your arms forward and lower your chest towards the floor.
• Hold for 20–30 seconds while breathing deeply.

What Causes Sciatica?

Since sciatica describes the pain felt along the sciatic nerve, many conditions may be the root cause. These may include a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylosis, or spondylolisthesis. It can also result from a traumatic injury or pregnancy. All of these conditions cause irritation and pressure on the sciatic nerve which causes the symptoms people may experience in the lower back and lower extremities.

Typically patients can get relief from these symptoms nonsurgically through rest, anti-inflammatory medication, spine-specialized physical therapy, and steroid injections; in more severe cases surgical intervention could be necessary to relieve the pressure on the nerve. Determining the root cause of your pain and the appropriate course of action with your spine specialist is the first step in managing this pain and regaining your life.