11 Best Sciatica Exercises and Stretches (And the Worst) With Picture! (2024)

Sciatica is a painful condition caused by issues with the sciatic nerve or its associated nerve roots in the lower back. Not all lower back or leg pain is sciatica.

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The sciatic nerve is the body’s largest nerve. It runs from L4 to S3 (1). Generally, sciatica pain worsens with movements like bending forward, twisting, or coughing. As you search for solutions to get relief, it’s important to choose carefully which stretches or exercises you do, as many can aggravate your pain.

I experienced sciatica for several years due to disc herniation and also piriformis syndrome (where the sciatic nerve gets irritated by the piriformis muscle spasming). I’ve tested and tried so many exercises and stretches throughout my healing journey.

Below are the best exercises and stretches for sciatica, as well as the worst exercises and stretches you should avoid.

I recommend you grab the stretching guide with the best stretches for piriformis and sciatica relief:

Grab this hip stretching guide to relieve pain in the hips, glutes, and lower back:

Best Exercises for Sciatica

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Walking: Walking is a fantastic low-impact exercise for sciatica. If you get lower back pain walking, I have a great tip for you…If you can walk comfortably for the first 10 minutes before feeling discomfort in your lower back, consider adjusting your walks to 10 minutes or less. Instead of going for a continuous 20-minute walk, break it into two shorter sessions—10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening.

Swimming: Swimming is a great, low-impact way to stay in shape and work your full body without putting pressure on your back. It also helps elongate your spine and give your hips a break from tension.

Resistance band standing hip exercises: Hip banded exercises such as lateral walks can help strengthen the hip muscles to support the lumbar spine. Make sure you do these standing if you have trouble getting on the floor.

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Bridges: Bridges can help you relieve sciatica by activating your core and glutes. Make sure to breathe deeply, tighten up your full core and glutes, and slowly raise your hips up and down. You can do a few repetitions daily to help support your spine. If you can’t get on the floor, try to do a few bridges on your bed.

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Standing core exercises: Core exercises focused on activating the deep core muscles (transverse abdominis) will relieve sciatica by taking the load off your lower back. Doing a few core exercises daily can benefit your spinal health, and you can do many standing core exercises here.

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Best Stretches for Sciatica

Downward dog: A safe and gentle stretch that’ll lengthen your back and elongate your spine to relieve lower back pressure and tension. Stretching the hamstring also alleviates tension in the sciatic nerve. Overall, This stretch improves spinal alignment and is safe throughout the day.

Worst Sciatica Exercises to Avoid

Below are sciatica exercises and stretches you should avoid to help your body recover faster and avoid worsening the pain.

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Jumping/running/HIIT: Jumping is a high-impact exercise, and when you land after a jump, it can transmit strong force through the spine. This can lead to compression of the spinal discs and increase pressure on the sciatic nerve.

In addition, rapid movements can contribute to muscle imbalances and tightness. It’s best to avoid high-impact drills, HIIT workouts, and running when experiencing sciatica until you recover.

Heavy squats or deadlifts: High squats or deadlines with heavy weights put a load on your spine, which causes compression and can trigger sciatica. If you want to squat, do it low-impact or hold the weights down, such as the sumo squat. Keep your back straight, and make sure to engage your core and glutes to reduce pressure on the lumbar spine.

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Heavy forward bending exercises: Similar to the previous exercises, any forward bending exercise will put some pressure on your lumbar spine. Adding weights can exacerbate pressure placed on the sciatic nerve.

Standing overhead weight press: Pressing weights overhead can cause sciatica due to spinal compression and also muscle imbalance if the exercise is done with bad form. If you’d like to do shoulder press exercises, sitting on a bench is best to minimize the load on your lower back.

Crunches: Crunches put your spine into flexion and can increase pressure on the intervertebral discs, compressing the lumbar spine. The compression affects the sciatic nerve roots.

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In addition, the hip flexors are overly engaged during crunches, contributing to muscle imbalances. Instead of working the abdominals, you may develop tight hips, pulling the lower spine and exacerbating the sciatic nerve.

Crunch twists with weights: twisting motions can cause microtears in the spine, especially when we add weights. This can cause irritation and inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

Worst Stretches for Sciatica

Knee to chest (lying down): This stretch can cause excessive flexion in the lumbar spine. If you have pre-existing sciatica or lower back issues, it can increase pressure on the sciatic nerve.

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It is best to avoid any stretch that puts your lumbar spine into flexion or over-extension.

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Pigeon stretch: Static pigeon stretch can aggravate sciatica symptoms such as pain, tingling, or numbness. You should be cautious with this stretch and try other modifications that target the piriformis muscle gently. This can be an aggressive stretch that can be too much on the sciatic nerve.

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Back extensions: When your spine is extended excessively or hyperextended, it can exacerbate any pre-existing conditions like a disc bulge or spinal stenosis by irritating the sciatica nerve and compressing the nerve roots.

Recommended: Join the Back Pain Control program, where I share how to bend over, move, and twist without triggering sciatica. This program will help you relieve sciatica and fix lower back pain for good.

Eliminate Chronic Lower Back Pressure and Tightness inside Back Pain Control:

It’s so important to maintain proper form and avoid over-extension and flexion at the lumbar spine as much as possible to help you avoid any major sciatica flare-ups.

References: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/

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Coach Sofia

Certified Strength Coach | NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist & Founder at Coachsofiafitness

Hey there, I'm Sofia. Welcome to my blog! I'm here to help you get permanent relief from piriformis, hip, and lower back pain without spending years in pain suffering through information overwhelm or temporary fixes. I've been through the chronic pain journey myself. I know how lonely and hard it can get... Click here to read about my story and how I healed after 7 years of chronic pain, against all odds.

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Sciatica is a painful condition that occurs due to issues with the sciatic nerve or its associated nerve roots in the lower back. It is important to note that not all lower back or leg pain is sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and runs from L4 to S3 [[1]].

Best Exercises for Sciatica:

Walking: Walking is a low-impact exercise that can be beneficial for sciatica. It is recommended to start with shorter sessions if you experience discomfort in your lower back after walking for about 10 minutes [[1]].
Swimming: Swimming is a great way to stay in shape and work your full body without putting pressure on your back. It can also help elongate your spine and give your hips a break from tension [[1]].
Resistance band standing hip exercises: Hip banded exercises, such as lateral walks, can help strengthen the hip muscles and support the lumbar spine. If getting on the floor is challenging, these exercises can be done while standing [[1]].
Bridges: Bridges can help relieve sciatica by activating the core and glutes. It is important to breathe deeply, tighten the core and glutes, and slowly raise and lower the hips. Bridges can be done on the floor or on a bed if getting on the floor is difficult [[1]].
Standing core exercises: Core exercises that focus on activating the deep core muscles, such as the transverse abdominis, can help relieve sciatica by reducing the load on the lower back. There are many standing core exercises that can be beneficial for spinal health [[1]].

Best Stretches for Sciatica:

Downward dog: This stretch lengthens the back and elongates the spine, relieving lower back pressure and tension. It also stretches the hamstrings, which can alleviate tension in the sciatic nerve. Downward dog improves spinal alignment and can be done throughout the day [[1]].
Child's pose: Child's pose elongates the muscles in the lower back, releasing tightness in that area. It also helps decompress the vertebrae and alleviate pressure on the sciatic nerve. This stretch promotes relaxation and deep breathing, reducing stress levels and tension in the body [[1]].
Wall back stretch: This stretch helps relax and release tension in the lumbar spine, hips, and buttocks. It can be done on-the-go and is particularly beneficial after sitting for a while to restore posture [[1]].
Hamstring stretch standing: Tight hamstrings can contribute to sciatic pain. Stretching the hamstrings along with the lower back can provide relief. This stretch can also help loosen tight hip muscles [[1]].
Piriformis seated stretch: The piriformis muscle, when tight, can irritate the sciatic nerve and produce similar symptoms to sciatica. The seated piriformis stretch alleviates compression on the sciatic nerve and relaxes the muscles. It can be done while seated [[1]].
Hip flexor stretches: Tight hip flexors are a common cause of lower back pain. Stretching the hip flexors can help relieve pressure on the lower back and sciatic nerve. Kneeling hip flexor stretches with a small posterior pelvis tilt can effectively release the hip flexors [[1]].

Worst Exercises and Stretches for Sciatica:

Jumping/running/HIIT: High-impact exercises like jumping, running, and HIIT workouts can transmit strong force through the spine, leading to compression of the spinal discs and increased pressure on the sciatic nerve. It is best to avoid these exercises until you recover from sciatica [[1]].
Heavy squats or deadlifts: Squats or deadlifts with heavy weights put a load on the spine, causing compression and potentially triggering sciatica. If you want to squat, it is recommended to do low-impact variations or hold the weights down, such as the sumo squat. Engaging the core and glutes can help reduce pressure on the lumbar spine [[1]].
Heavy forward bending exercises: Any forward bending exercise puts pressure on the lumbar spine, and adding weights can exacerbate the pressure on the sciatic nerve. It is best to avoid these exercises if you have sciatica [[1]].
Standing overhead weight press: Pressing weights overhead can cause spinal compression and muscle imbalance if done with bad form, potentially leading to sciatica. If you want to do shoulder press exercises, it is recommended to sit on a bench to minimize the load on the lower back [[1]].
Crunches and crunch twists with weights: Crunches put the spine into flexion and increase pressure on the intervertebral discs, compressing the lumbar spine and affecting the sciatic nerve roots. Twisting motions, especially with added weights, can cause irritation and inflammation of the sciatic nerve [[1]].

It is important to note that the information provided is based on the search results and the expertise of the author of the article. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any exercise or stretching routine, especially if you have a pre-existing condition like sciatica.