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- Exercise For Sciatic Nerve Problems
- Exercise For Sciatica Nerve Pain In Leg
- Exercise For Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief
- Exercises For Sciatica
- Exercise For Sciatic Nerve Pain In Hip
- Exercise For Sciatica Nerve Pain
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. The sciatic nerve begins from nerve roots in the spinal cord in the low back and extends through the buttock area to send nerve endings down the lower limb. Sciatica symptoms include pain that people typically feel from the low back to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee. Sciatica exercises are designed to specifically target the areas surrounding the sciatic nerve, to both stretch and strengthen key muscles affecting your pain. Certain exercises will not only reduce your pain quickly, they may prevent the need for drastic measures like surgery in the future. May 17, 2019 Five easy sciatic nerve exercises include knee to shoulder, standing hamstring stretch, seated spinal twist, sitting pigeon, and forward pigeon. You can include these sciatica stretches in your daily routine to relieve your sciatica pain.
Do planks. The plank is one of the best exercises for relieving sciatic pain caused by a slip disk, as it keeps the spine in proper alignment and prevents the disc from slipping further. To correctly perform the plank exercise:![Sciatic Sciatic](/uploads/1/2/6/9/126960898/450675729.jpg)
- Assume a traditional push-up position on a soft surface such as a mat. The head, shoulder blades, and butt must form one straight horizontal line. The hands should be directly under the shoulders and feet are kept together.
- Brace your abdominal muscles as if you were preparing to be punched in the gut. Hold this position for 15 seconds, making sure that your hips do not drop down at any point during the exercise. Breathe deeply as you perform the exercise, this will prevent your blood pressure from spiking.
- There should be no pain, numbness, or tingling sensations throughout the exercise. If you feel any of these symptoms, rest for 15 minutes then try the modified plank position, which involves holding yourself up with your elbows and knees, rather than your hand and feet.
- Do 3 sets of 15-second holds, resting for 30 seconds in between each set. Work your way up to doing 30-second and then 1 minute-holds.
When sciatica flares up—you know, the searing pain, tingling, or numbness that shoots from your low back to one of your legs—you'll do just about anything to find relief. That's why these simple stretches are so handy: They can help take pressure off your sciatic nerve without having to even get out of bed. The routines below, developed by Jennifer Howe, MPT, CMPT, a teaching associate for the University of Washington's physical therapy department, target one of the three main causes of sciatica: herniated disc (a bulge in the cushioning between the bones in your spinal column), bone degeneration (irregularities in your vertebrae), or tight hip muscles.
If you're unsure what's triggering your sciatica, try all three routines and note which one helps the most. For the best results, do your stretches daily before you get out of bed in the morning, or at night before you fall asleep. If you'd prefer, you can also do these stretches on the floor.
Cause of Sciatic Pain: Herniated disc
The following two stretches help create distance between the bulging discs in the spine, taking pressure off the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica Stretch: Press up
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Start on your stomach with your elbows positioned directly under your shoulders and your forearms flat on the bed, parallel to one another. Lift your chest and extend through the spine from your tailbone to the top of your neck; allow your back to arch. Hold for 30 seconds for 1 repetition, breathing deeply. If the pain in your legs lessens, do 2 more reps and then move on to the next stretch in this sequence. If you don't feel relief, skip the next move and try the routine for sciatica related to bone degeneration.
Sciatica Stretch: Press up Extension
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Lie face down with your hands flat, next to your shoulders. Press your palms into the bed to lift your upper body up, keeping hips and pelvis rooted to the bed. Extend through the spine from the tailbone to the neck, allowing your back to arch. Stop lifting your chest if you feel any pressure in your lower back. Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly lower back to the start position for one rep. Do 10 reps for 1 set; do 3 sets total.
Cause of Sciatic Pain: Bone Degeneration
These moves help create space between your vertebrae so they're less likely to pinch your sciatic nerve.
Sciatica Stretch: Knees to Chest
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Lie on your back and slowly hug your knees to your chest, allowing your low back to round. Hold for 30 seconds for 1 rep. If this stretch lessens the pain in your legs, do 3 reps and then move on to the next stretch. If not, try the next routine for tight hip muscles.
Sciatica Stretch: Posterior Pelvic Tilt
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Lie face up on the bed with your knees bent and feet flat. Draw abdominals in to flatten lower back into the bed. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to start position for 1 repetition. Do 10 reps.
Cause of Sciatic Pain: Tight Hip Muscles
Exercise For Sciatic Nerve Problems
These stretches can loosen muscles in the hips that may be pressing on the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica Stretch: Knee to Opposite Shoulder
Exercise For Sciatica Nerve Pain In Leg
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Exercise For Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief
Lie on your back with legs extended, feet flexed. Lift your right leg and clasp your hands behind the knee. Gently pull your right knee across your body and toward your left shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds for 1 rep. Do 3 reps. Switch legs and repeat.
Exercises For Sciatica
Sciatica Stretch: Figure 4
Exercise For Sciatic Nerve Pain In Hip
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Exercise For Sciatica Nerve Pain
Lie on your back with bent knees, feet flat on bed. Cross your right ankle over your left knee (in the shape of a '4'). Grasp your hands behind your left knee and gently pull your legs toward chest as you press right knee away from your chest. Hold for 30 seconds for 1 rep. Do 3 reps. Switch legs and repeat.