Start off by lying down on your back with your legs slightly bent.  Cross one of your legs over the other.  If you want to stretch the right side, put the right leg over the left, and vice versa.  Now, lift the bottom leg up as far as you can, using your hands to help lift the legs and hold them in place.  If done right, you should feel a nice stretch in the buttocks.  Hold this stretch for 15-20 seconds, doing three different sets.

You can also do this stretch without having to cross the legs fully, which may be uncomfortable for some.  You can lift one knee into your chest and stretch it across your body, leaving the other leg on the floor.  This method does not give as good leverage as the first method detailed and you may not feel as good of a stretch.

Alternatively, you can do this with you legs on the ground, with your body upright.  Watch the video below to see what this Piriformis stretch looks like:

Lay down flat on your back.  Slowly lift one leg up to your chest with your knee bent.  Using your hands to support the leg, straighten it out as much as you can.  As always, do not stretch it too hard – you do not want to inflict pain or cause a muscle strain.  Hold this stretch for about 20 seconds, then put your leg back on the ground and let it relax.  You want to do this stretch at least three times for 20 seconds each.

A slight variation of this sciatica stretch is to lay down flat on your back and to lift one leg as far as it can go.  This time, you do NOT want to bend the knee – keep the leg straight at all times.  You will want to use your hands to support the leg.  Again, do this stretch at least 3 times for about 20 seconds each rep.

Lay flat on your belly with your hands at your sides and your palms on the ground.  Push up and lift only your upper body as far as your body allows.  You do not want to inflict pain on yourself with this stretch (or any sciatica stretch.)  Lift yourself slowly to avoid straining the muscles or spine, and do not arch your back too much to avoid hurting yourself.

First of all, there are indeed other treatment options available that do not require physical exercises at the source of pain.  They include the use of pain medication (could be over the counter or prescription), steroid injections or spine surgery.  These options have their drawbacks, but they are also simpler and require less effort from you.  And depending on the severity of the root of your sciatica, they may be necessary.  Why bother with sciatica stretches at all?

Fortunately, most causes of sciatica pain and numbness can be fixed by strengthening the spine and increasing your flexibility.  A minor case of lumbar spinal stenosis is an example of a disorder that can be manageable with simple sciatica stretches and exercises.  Physical therapy that encourages the flexion of the spine is a good way to train the muscles to stabilize the back to avoid changes that can put compression on the nerves.  An increase in flexibility will also help your body cope with any complications to the nerves or bone structure.

Engaging in physical therapy is also a very cost effective and long term solution to sciatica.  You are able to do simple stretches on your own time without having to leave your house.  Other methods, most noticeably medication and steroid injections, are not the most ideal treatment options over a long period of time due to possible side effects.  They will also come with significant costs that can really add up quickly.

Of course, severe causes of sciatica will require more intense treatment options, such as surgery.  But if you only experience mild symptoms of pain and numbness in the back and legs, sciatica stretches and exercises are a great long term method of dealing with the pain.

Below is a list of causes of sciatica.  Even though they are different, they all effectively generate compression on the sciatic nerve, resulting in sciatica.

• Herniated Disc – This is the most common cause.  A herniated disc is when a disc that is separating the vertebrae in the spine breaks or ruptures.  There is a gel like substance inside the disc that acts as cushions between veterbrae.  A broken disc at the lumbar spinal region can result in the gel flowing out and pressing down on the sciatic nerve.
• Lumbar Spinal Stenosis – Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal.  The reduction in space for the spinal cord can essentially pinch the nerves.  In the lumbar region, pinching of the sciatic nerve can cause back and leg pain.
• Piriformis syndrome – The muscle located between the spine and to the top of the thigh bone is known as the piriformis muscle (in the groin muscle area.)  Problems with this muscle can lead to spasms, which can press down on the sciatic nerve.  Piriformis syndrome can occur from sitting down too long or direct injury.
• Spondylolisthesis – Spondylolisthesis is when a vertebra of the spine slips forward and onto the bone of another vertebra.  This displacement can lead to the onset of sciatica by obstructing the sciatic nerve.
• Bone spurs – Osteophytes may start to grow as the body’s response to the degenerating discs of the vertebrae.  These growths may affect the sciatic nerve if located on the lumbar spinal region.
• Spinal tumors – Spinal tumors can grow on the inside of the spinal cord.  As they grow bigger, they will push harder on the spinal cord and the nerve roots
• Sciatic nerve tumors – Tumors can also grow directly on the sciatic nerve.  Neurofibromatosis is the abnormal cell growth on nerve tissue that can cause schwannomas, which is another name for sciatic nerve tumors.  This is a potentially life threatening condition if it is cancer.
• Injury – An injury sustained directly to the lower spine or below the buttocks can cause inflammation or irritation of the sciatic nerve or the tissue around it, compressing the nerve and causing pain.

The only way to know for sure what disorder may be causing sciatic pain is to get a CT or MRI scan from a doctor.  Fortunately, many of the above symptoms can be treated easily with sciatic stretches and exercise.

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve fiber in the human body.  It starts from the lower back, winds through the buttocks and travels all the way down the back of the leg.  It is responsible for the movement and feeling in the entire leg, including thighs, knees, calves, feet and toes.  There is a sciatic nerve running down each leg, originating from the spinal cord.

Sciatica describes symptoms of pain, weakness, numbness, tingling or burning sensation, and possible loss of control over the affected leg.  Pain is usually felt in the lower back and buttocks, though it can migrate to several parts of the leg.  In very serious cases, sciatica can prevent a person from walking.  Sciatica usually occurs on one side of the body.

If a person is experiencing sciatica, it is important to go to the doctor to find the underlying cause of it.  It can be any kind of disorders that put compression on the sciatic nerve.  For example, lumbar [lower back] spinal stenosis will cause the narrowing of the spinal canal of the lumbar vertebrae.  This tightening may pinch on the sciatic nerve, triggering sciatica.  A bulging disc as a result of an accident or injury may infringe on the sciatic nerve as well.  To actually give a correct diagnosis, a scan should be done to get a better look on the inside of the spine and legs.

The type of treatment for sciatica really depends on the diagnosis and the severity of the condition.  However, most treatment options for minor back and leg issues revolve around some physical activities, such as stretches.  The purpose is to strengthen and stabilize the spine to relieve the compression put on the nerves.  Physical activities are ideal methods because they are the cheapest and least invasive of all methods.  If done correctly (and the cause of sciatica is not serious), they may turn out to be a long term solution to fixing sciatica.

Sciatica stretches are a simple and effective method of relieving slight back and leg pain.  If you are suffering from symptoms, it is definitely worth it to try a few stretches for sciatica found on this site for pain relief.