The hamstring stretch is good because it will loosen up the muscles near the sciatic nerve that are tight and may push down on the nerve.
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.
This is a very popular stretch that is very refreshing for anyone. You may know it by a different name, though the phrase “seal stretch” is quite descriptive.
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.
It may seem counterproductive to stretch and over exert yourself when you are feeling pain in the lower back or legs. There are also other treatment options available that do not require you to put your spine in harm’s way.
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.
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