If you’ve ever experienced sciatic nerve pain, you know that it can be hard to ignore. The sciatic nerve is the longest one in the body, extending from the lower back all the way down the back of the leg, explains Rohan Desai, M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon with the New York Spine Institute.
“If injured, it can cause debilitating pain, tingling, and burning throughout the entire lower back and lower extremity,” Dr. Desai explains.
These sciatica stretches for pain relief can relieve pressure on the nerve. They’re simple enough that they can be done in bed as you’re winding down or waking up, and they don’t require any specialized equipment.
Meet the Experts: Jennifer Howe, M.P.T., C.M.P.T., physical therapist and owner of How Everything Matters Health Coaching; and Rohan Desai, M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon with the New York Spine Institute.
Sciatica is a relatively common condition. Between 10% and 40% of people are likely to be affected by it at some point in their lives, according to MD Searchlight. It’s most common in people in their 40s, though both older and younger people can also develop it.
The routines below were created by Jennifer Howe, M.P.T., C.M.P.T. , physical therapist and owner of How Everything Matters Health Coaching. These stretches target pain with three common causes of sciatic nerve pain in mind: a herniated disc (a bulge in the cushioning between the bones in your spinal column), bone degeneration (irregularities in your vertebrae), and tight hip muscles.
These sciatica stretches — done alongside any other treatments recommended by your healthcare providers — can help you find relief from pain and discomfort. Here’s how to do them, according to the experts.
Sciatica stretches
For optimal results, do these stretches daily before you get out of bed in the morning, or at night before you fall asleep. Just remember to move with caution, consult your doctor before trying anything new, and if the pain intensifies, stop immediately and seek medical help.
1. Press-up
This stretch is best for those with a herniated disc. 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.
2. Press-up Extension
This stretch is best for those with a herniated disc. 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.
3. Knees to Chest
If you have bone degeneration, you can help create space between your vertebrae so they’re less likely to pinch your sciatic nerve. To do so, 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.
4. Posterior Pelvic Tilt
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.
5. Knee to Opposite Shoulder
This stretch can loosen muscles in the hips that may be pressing on the sciatic nerve. 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.
6. Figure 4
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.
7. Pigeon pose
Some sciatica pain is linked to a tight piriformis muscle, explains Dr. Desai, which is a pear-shaped muscle near the hips and pelvis under which the sciatic nerve runs. For this type of sciatic pain, he suggests trying a hip-opening stretch like the pigeon pose.
Begin in a tabletop position on all fours, then bring your right knee to rest parallel to your right wrist and extend the left leg out flat. Then, wiggle your right foot out, so your leg makes an L-shape and your foot’s sole faces left. Try a press-up, lengthening the chest, then fold your upper half over your knee, relaxing in the hips. If you need to, you can rest on your forearms instead of folding over completely. Hold as long as is comfortable, and repeat on the other side.
How to safely do sciatica stretches
“The most important thing is to listen to your body and avoid movements that cause pain,” says Dr. Desai. “It’s also important to start slow and gradually increase the intensity. Lastly, make sure to prioritize form and posture during the exercises to ensure safety throughout the entire movement.”
How do I get rid of sciatica ASAP?
A combination of stretching, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, and refraining from strenuous activities until you notice improvement can help speed up recovery, Dr. Desai says.
Can you get rid of sciatica by stretching?
It depends on how severe your sciatic pain is, but at the very least, stretching should help. The best exercises to alleviate sciatic pain target the large muscles of the upper leg and buttock areas, Dr. Desai says.
When to see a doctor about sciatica pain
If you’re in debilitating pain, experience numbness or tingling, and/or experience muscle weakness or loss of bowel or bladder control, it’s time to see a doctor, per the Cleveland Clinic.
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