Doing these activities can make this already painful condition worse.
However, there are some exercises and positions that can help relievesciatica symptoms.
This includes sciatic pain commonly experienced by older adults, people with pregnancy, or those with obesity.
Illustration by Ellen Lindner for Verywell Health
These symptoms typically occur from the narrowing of the spinal canal (which houses the spinal cord).
This may be due to aslipped disc,bone spurs,piriformissyndrome, or a lower back injury.
Should You Exercise if You Have Sciatica?
People with sciatica generally benefit from exercise but need to take care not to overdo it.
Keeping active can relieveinflammation, loosen tight muscles, and help you feel better long term.
During a flare-up, light exercise and gentle stretching can help to relieve discomfort.
While some rest can be helpful, too much inactivity can worsen your pain.
Too much exercise or the wrong moves, however, can aggravate thesciatic nerveand should be avoided.
It should involve both aerobic activities to improve endurance and strength training to activatecore musclesthat provide lower back stability.
Low-Impact Aerobics
Low-impact aerobic activity increases circulation and helps to loosen stiff muscles.
The muscles should loosen up after a few minutes.
Strength Training
For sciatica, strength training does not mean resistance training or weight training.
Rather, it means using focused movements against gravity to build the muscles that support the spinal column.
The trick is to add activity gradually and to slow down if any pain or discomfort is felt.
This approach is known as symptom-guided exercise.
After stretching and warming up withaerobics, move on to exercises that strengthen core muscles.
All of the recommended exercises are done on the floor.
Pelvic Tilt
Thepelvic tiltis one of the most effective ways to strengthen the muscles of the lumbar spine.
It is also very safe to do even if you are pregnant.
To do the basic pelvic tilt:
4.
The Bridge
Thebridgerequires a bit more strength and is something you may need to ease into.
If you have trouble, start with one or two only and add another rep every day.
To do the bridge:
5.
Strengthening exercises for sciatica may be done three or four times a week.
Gentle stretching can help loosen lower back muscles that tend to seize following an injury.
The following stretches are commonly recommended.
They all are done on the floor, lying on your back.
The only equipment you would need is a belt.
To do the single knee-to-chest stretch:
7.
Double Knee-to-Chest Stretch
This is a variation of the single knee-to-chest stretch.
For this stretch, you oughta focus on keeping your back flat on the floor.
To do the double knee-to-chest stretch:
8.
To do the side-to-side knee stretch:
9.
Supine Hamstring Stretch
The supine hamstring stretch activates the lower back andhamstring muscleswith the aid of a belt.
To do the supine hamstring stretch:
10.
Also known asnerve gliding, the simple movements help to calm nerve irritation and improve hip range of motion.
There are a few different techniques for sciatic nerve flossing.
Cobra Pose
The cobra pose from yoga practice stretches the back by arching it.
A modified version may be the better option for people with sciatica or other conditions causing back pain.
Repeat these steps eight to 10 times.
If you feel any pain or weakness, stop the exercise.
Yoga stretchesare recommended by some professionals for treating sciatica but talk to your provider about your specific condition.
Sciatica can take some time to resolve, but you should see an improvement within three months.
A healthcare provider may also recommend cortisone injections orelectric muscle stimulation.
In some cases, surgery is needed.
Exercises that relieve sciatica include low-impact aerobic activities like walking, certain strengthening exercises, and gentle stretching.
When exercising with sciatica, dont overdo it.
Once the sciatic nerve is already irritated, it doesnt take much to trigger symptoms.
Listen to your body and stop or slow down if you experience any pain.
If you arent sure how to do exercises on your own, talk to your healthcare provider.
You may be referred to a physical therapist who can design an exercise program thats best for you.
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