If you are experiencing sciatica symptoms, this may involve changes in sensation including pins and needles, numbness, and tingling. To learn more about different causes of sciatica, head to this post here. This blog post will go over stretches and exercises to target the different causes of sciatica. Give some of them a try based on what may be causing your sciatica.
**This is not medical advice. Please consult your medical provider for more information.
Exercises for Sciatica
Disc Related
When dealing with disc related issues, it is important to find what is called directional preference. Directional preference refers to finding the direction of movement that either reduces or completely abolishes the symptoms. The two most common directions are flexion and extension.
directional preference – videos on flexion/extension
Flexion
Prone Lying with Pillow
Prone lying simply involves lying on your stomach. Start with one pillow and see how this feels. If this helps reduce your symptoms, one pillow may be enough.
If you need a bit more of a flexion bias, you can add another pillow or two to find what fits your needs. The importance here is finding how many pillows you need to reduce the symptoms, meaning you are taken into a deeper flexion moment. You can lie in this position for 3-5 minute and increase it as it becomes more tolerable.
Seated Hands on Thighs
Sit with your hands on your thighs to support your trunk. Bend forward at your waist allowing your hands to slide across your thighs and down your legs. Only go as far as comfortable. Return back to the start and repeat 10-20x.
Standing Forward Flexion
While standing, bend forward at your waist and slide your hands down your legs. If you need more support, slide your hands across a table or other supportive surface like a bed. Return back to the start and repeat 10-20x.
Extension
Prone Lying
Prone lying here involves lying on your stomach without any pillows. If you started using the pillows, try to slowly build up tolerance to lying without any pillows. Start with a short time like 30-60 seconds and increase your time to 3-5 minutes as tolerable.
Prone Press Up on Elbows
Start by lying on your stomach with your forearms underneath you. Press up through your forearms and onto your elbows by lifting your chest and your head up off the ground. Return back to the start and repeat 10-20x.
Hip Dips on Wall
Stand facing a wall with your hands supporting you on the wall. Drop your hips in towards the wall, creating extension in the lumbar spine. Return back to the start and repeat 10-20x.
Muscle Related
Piriformis
Seated Piriformis Stretch
Sit and cross the ankle of your affected side over the opposite knee. For example, if you have pain in your right leg, cross your right ankle over your left knee. Lean forward and you should feel a stretch in your right buttock. If this stretch is aggressive, you can rock back and forth as if you are turning the stretch off and on. If you are able to hold the stretch, hold the position leaning forward for up to 30 seconds and repeat.
Quadratus Lumborum (QL)
Supine QL Stretch
Lie on your back with your knees bent. To stretch the right side of your low back, hook your left ankle over your right knee. Allow gravity to gently pull your left knee to the left side until you feel a stretch in the right side of your low back. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat.
Generalized Nerve Tensioning
Seated Sciatic Nerve Glide
Sit and extend your leg out straight while simultaneously pulling your toes towards your head. You should feel a pulling sensation through your leg. Relax the leg back to the starting position and perform 20 repetitions.
TL;DR
This blog post is all about treating sciatica symptoms based on the cause of the pain. It provides exercises based around disc involvement, muscle involvement, and generalized nerve tensioning. To learn more about the causes of sciatica symptoms, head to this blog post here!
Tera Sandona is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and the founder of PT Complete. She helps high-achieving women break out of cycles of chronic pain, stress, and burnout through her Regulate and Rebuild Method, a sequenced approach that addresses the nervous system first and builds strength second. Her work focuses on helping women finally understand their bodies, rebuild strength, and create lasting resilience that fits real life.
