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8 Simple Sciatica Stretches To Relieve Pain Fast Get Healthy U TV

Healthy Living: Lifestyle By: Kim Pieper // September 10, 2018
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 Tingling down the back of your leg? Butt falling asleep when you sit too long? Shooting pain in
your hip? If any of these sensations sound familiar, you just might have a common condition
known as Sciatica. If so, you are among approximately 40% of the population who feel it at
some point and know how irritating it can be.

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 But do you know why sciatica happens? Or better yet, what you can you do to relieve your
sciatic pain? Let’s get into the basics of this common condition and then explore the sciatica
stretches that can help.

What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is pain, tingling or numbness that comes from the irritation of the sciatic nerve or the
nerve roots that lead to the sciatic nerve. The discomfort can be felt in the buttocks on one
side, down the side or back of the leg, or even in the ankle and foot. The pain can be severe,
and it usually only occurs on one side of the body.

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 Photo courtesy of Manhattan Pain & Sports Associates
You might not know it, but the sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in the human
body. It starts in your back and ends in your toes! This nerve actually begins as a collection of
nerve bers—or roots—in the lower spine. These bers exit the spinal canal through a
number of di erent openings in the lower spine. Eventually all of these little bers meet up
and combine to make one large sciatic nerve that can be as thick as a grown man’s thumb at
its largest point.

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 As it begins to travel downward from your low back, the sciatic nerve runs below your
piriformis muscle, through your hips and glutes, down the back of your leg, and into your foot.
If you have sciatica, you may experience pain or numbness at any one or even all of these
locations.

What Causes Sciatica?

In general, sciatic nerve pain or irritation comes when something is pressing on the sciatic
nerve. There are several things that can cause this, including:

a ruptured or bulging disc

damaged or broken vertebrae
spinal stenosis (which narrows the spinal root canal)
arthritis of the back
bone spur on the spine
pinched nerve or damage from injury
in ammation in your piriformis muscle

Sciatica can also develop during pregnancy and in very rare cases a tumor pressing on the
nerve can be the source of the pain. In general though, most cases of Sciatica will not require
serious medical treatment and will resolve themselves over time with proper self-care.

Sciatica Stretches for Pain Relief

To help keep your sciatic nerve pain at bay, perform these 8 Sciatica stretches a few times a
week to help relieve your pain and get you feeling great again.

1. Runner’s Lunge

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 Runner’s Lunge provides a deep stretch for the hips, hip exors, groin and legs. Many people
make the mistake of trying to use their leg muscles to hold the hips ups. It is important to let
go and release your hips so that you can experience a deep stretch.

1. Begin in a plank position with hands directly below shoulders.

2. Step your right foot forward to the outer edge of your mat next to your right pinky nger.
3. Lower your forearms inside your right foot and relax through your hips and back.
4. Breathe and hold for 30 seconds. Switch side

2. Sleeping Pigeon

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 The Sleeping Pigeon takes a basic hip-stretching pose and, by lowering the chest down to rest
over the top of the stretching leg, adds a deeper sensation to the stretch.

1. Begin in a plank position. Tighten your abdominals and pull your right knee toward your
right hand placing your right foot as close to your left hand as you can.
2. Keep your back leg long and keep your hips even as you relax your weight through the
middle of your hips.
3. Slowly begin to lower your chest over your front shin relaxing forehead on the mat and
arms stretched overhead.
4. Breathe and hold for 30 seconds. Slowly lift chest up, step back into plank and switch sides.

3. Revolved Extended Side Angle (Crescent Twist) 

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 Revolved Extended Side Angle is a standing pose that stretches the entire back, hips and
ankles and strengthens the legs.

1. From a standing position, step your left foot to the back of the mat and lower the inside of
the foot down.

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 2. Reach both arms straight overhead and bend the right knee to 90 degrees.
3. Relax your shoulder as you continue reaching up and lengthen the back leg.
4. Now draw your hands to prayer position in front of your chest.
5. Keep hands in prayer as you twist left elbow over right knee, pressing elbow against the
side of your leg and relaxing your neck as you gaze up.
6. Hold 30 seconds and switch sides.

4. Pyramid Pose

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 Pyramid Pose is a deep stretch for your hamstrings and low back as well as a simple way to
practice balance with both feet still on the ground.

1. From a standing position, step the inside of your left foot directly behind your right foot
about 6-8 inches, as if you are standing on a balance beam. Back foot is angled.
2. As you inhale reach both arms high overhead, lengthening your spine.
3. As you exhale slowly reach hands down to shin or, if you are able, the oor. You can slightly
bend the front knee if needed.
4. Let your chest rest over your front leg and relax the back of your neck.  Breath slowly as
you stretch your hamstring.
5. Hold 30 seconds and switch sides.

5. Forward Fold 

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 Forward Fold is a basic yoga pose that stretches the lower back and hamstrings.

1. With knees soft, reach hands toward feet and hold onto your ankles or calves.
2. Relax the back of your neck as you place your nose close to your knees.
3. Breath gently in and out through your nose.

6. Lying Spinal Twist

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 Lying spinal twist helps to stretch the back muscles and glutes.

1. Lie on your back and stretch one leg out long. Pull the other knee in towards your chest.
2. Gently pull your knee over your leg towards the ground. Keep both shoulders on the mat
while you do this.
3. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.

7. Seated Spinal Twist 

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 Seated spinal twists can help you stretch your piriformis, the muscle that sits deep into the
hips just behind your hip bones.

1. Sit on the oor with legs extended out in front of you.

2. Cross your right foot over your left leg as near to the hip as you can.
3. Wrap your left arm around your right knee and pull it toward your body. Slightly twist to
the right.
4. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.

8. Figure Four

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 The seated gure four stretch is a great hip opener, and it will also help relieve that dull, low-
back ache that can come from sitting too much.

1. Keep your spine straight as you place one ankle on the opposite leg.
2. Lean forward toward your calf, while keeping a straight back.
3. Switch legs.

Watch our sciatica pain relief video for more visuals:

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 Other Methods to Treat Sciatica
The good news is that for most people, Sciatica is very temporary and with a bit of patience
and persistence it can be taken care of without any invasive procedures. In fact, for some
people it actually goes away on its own. If, however, you want to be a little more proactive,
check out some of these things that have worked for others. Just keep in mind that everyone
experiences this condition in their own way and what works for one person might not work
for another. It may take a few di erent tries for you to get it right. If, however, your sciatica
persists for more than 6-8 weeks, it is time to see a doctor about getting relief in some other
way.

Hot/Cold Treatment
If applied at the rst sign of symptoms, ice can reduce in ammation and numb some of the
sore tissue. Heat can dilate the  blood vessels, increasing the ow of oxygen and nutrients to
the area. A good plan is to alternate between hot and cold treatments when you rst
experience sciatic nerve pain.

Related: How To Use Heat Vs. Cold Therapy To Treat Injuries

Massage

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 Deep tissue massage with a skilled therapist can relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve and
loosen up any tight spots. One good massage might do the trick, but likely a schedule or
regular visits will make the real di erence.

Chiropractic Care
While massages can help, a chiropractor may also be a good bet. A chiropractor may be able
to determine what the actual cause of the pain is and how to relieve pressure on the sciatic
nerve. The best way to nd a quali ed chiropractor is by a referral.

Acupuncture
Put your fear of needles on hold for just one second. A 2015 study by the National Institute of
Health found that acupuncture can help treat sciatica. The NIH reports that “the use of

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 acupuncture may more e ectively relieve leg pain/lumbago and improve global assessment of
sciatica when compared with NSAID treatment.”

Anti-In ammatory Foods

Just as there are certain foods that can lead to chronic in ammation, other foods naturally
ght it o . Since in ammation can play a role in sciatic nerve pain, it’s worth adding anti-
in ammatory foods to your diet! This may not completely solve the problem, but every small
detail can add up to one big picture of feeling better.

Over The Counter Meds

If you’re really hurting and you need a temporary solution while you search for something
more longterm, you can turn to some over-the-counter options. Non-sterodial anti-
in ammatory drugs or NSAIDs, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen may relieve the in ammation
that is causing your pain. Advil, Nuprin, Motrin or Aleve are the more common brands.
Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, can also provide relief.

Stretching
By far the best option to help your Sciatica is going to be stretching! My relief came through
regular yoga which provided just the right stretches for my hips, lower back and piriformis to
relieve the discomfort and help me feel good again. The key word in that sentence: REGULAR.
You can’t stretch a few times, call it a day and expect any change to occur. For true help you
will need to make regular stretching part of your routine.

READ THIS NEXT: 6 Yoga Poses To Relieve Tight Hips 

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