Simple Exercises For Sciatica Pain

If you are one of many America’s suffering from chronic low back pain, you may find that gentle exercise and daily stretching can help to provide some pain relief. Sciatica is a type of low back pain characterized by pain that travels down the sciatic nerve, which branches off into the back of the legs.

Sciatica pain may be accompanied by tinging or numbness sensations or even muscle weakness in the legs. Sciatica is often associated with an underlying medical condition, such as a herniation of the lumbar disk and the pain may be intermittent or constant, mild or severe.

Though sciatica nerve pain can be difficult to cope with, here are two common exercises that can help you to manage it and relieve its intensity.

Hip Stretch

If your activities require extensive sitting then stretching the muscles in the back of the hip is an exercise that may help with your symptoms. You can easily perform this stretch in a comfortable seated position. Sit with your back straight and your legs extended out in front of you. Bring your right ankle up and rest it on your left knee, your right knee is bent and will look like the number four.  Taken both hands and grab behind the right knee and gently pull this toward your chest.  You should feel tightness deep in the right buttock.  When you feel this tightness, hold the position for 30 seconds and then extend the leg back to the floor.  Repeat this stretch three times each leg.

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Hamstring Stretch

Stretching the hamstring muscles may release the tension caused by the irritation of the sciatic nerve. One simple hamstring stretch may be performed by standing up straight, elevating one foot in front of you and resting it on an object (such as a step) high enough to cause a slight tightness in the back of your leg.  It is important not to raise your foot higher than your hip or high enough to cause a sharp pain in the leg.  The top of your foot and knee should face toward the ceiling, and not turned outward. Once your leg is in this position, put your hands on top of your thigh and gently put downward pressure to maintain nice stretch in your hamstring.  Caution: be very careful not to overstretch, because that could aggravate the sciatic nerve.  Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then lower the leg back to the floor.  You should repeat this exercise three times each leg.

These two stretches can help you release tension and relieve sciatica pain in your buttocks, hips and legs. For best results, practice these exercises regularly for sciatica pain relief.  Do you need more help with your low back pain?  Contact us for a FREE Discovery Visit (Click Here to Schedule) to learn how we can help!

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Andrew Vertson

Andrew received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from California State University, Fresno in 1991. He then earned his Master’s degree of Physical Therapy in 1996 and his Doctorate degree of Physical Therapy in 2002 from Loma Linda University. In 1996 he also earned his Certification as an Athletic Trainer. He has also completed extensive post-graduate course work in orthopedic manual therapy through Kaiser-West Los Angeles and the Ola Grimsby Institute.

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