Sciatica Exercices For Pain Relief: Does it Work?

In this article, I will describe two exercises that you can do when you have sciatica (or sciatic pain).

2 exercises to practice in case of sciatica (and not only!)

(The 2 exercises presented here are not aimed at providing quick relief from pain, but it’s not impossible for them to have this effect. Let me know in the comments! 🙏🏻)

Warning: Watch out for warning signs!

In the case of sciatica, before rushing headlong into exercises, it is important to first ensure that your situation does not present any warning signs.

Warning signs, or “red flags,” are indicators that should encourage you to consult (or re-consult) a doctor. These may include:

🚩 Severe pain, meaning pain that:

• Is constantly present;
• Impairs thinking or speaking;
• Prevents sleeping;
• Significantly disrupts simple activities: getting out of bed, going to the toilet, bathing, or dressing.

🚩 Signs of neurological deficits (for example, loss of sensation, numbness, or weakness in the painful leg);

🚩 Urinary or fecal problems;

🚩 Fever, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, or weight loss;

🚩 Recent occurrence of trauma (for example, a fall);

🚩 Persistent and disabling sciatic pain for more than 3 months, with no improvement despite conservative (non-surgical) treatment.

If you find yourself in either of these situations, I urge you to quickly review your situation with a professional.

Sources: Jensen, 2019

General Safety Guidelines

For each exercise, it’s normal to experience some pain. However, for everything to go smoothly, there are still 3 conditions to respect:

🟢 The pain should be tolerable, it shouldn’t make you grimace. If it does, you need to reduce the range or speed of movement.

🟢 While doing the exercise, each time you return to the starting position, the pain should:

• Immediately disappear;
• Or return to its initial level (if you were already in pain when you started).

🟢 During the exercise, the pain you may feel should remain the same with each repetition. It should not increase each time.

If these conditions are not met, then try:

• Reducing the range of motion (going a little less forward, backward, etc.);
• Slowing down the movements (go slower!);
• Doing fewer repetitions. (Started with 10 repetitions? Try doing only 6, for example.)

Note that all the principles above are equally valid if you’re taking painkillers.

Normally, the exercises I present right after are suitable for everyone, provided you find the right dosage.

If you encounter difficulties, don’t hesitate to get direct assistance from a physiotherapist.

Exercise #1: Dive to the Ground

➡️ Starting position: standing

➡️ Instructions:

🔸 Beginner Version 🔸

• Bend your knees slightly, gently lean forward while sliding your hands down your thighs.
• Lower yourself as far as your pain allows (see general instructions for pain management during exercises).
• Rise slightly, then descend again, possibly trying to go a little lower each time.
• Repeat the previous step 10 to 20 times, then hold the lowest position for 5 to 10 deep breaths (about 15 to 30 seconds).
• Return gently to the standing position by first raising your head, then your shoulders, while slightly bending your knees.

🔸🔸 Advanced Version 🔸🔸

In the advanced version, individuals can descend low enough to place their hands at least halfway down their shins.

Here, you can perform step #3 by slightly bending (flexing) the knees and then straightening them (extending) again, instead of raising and lowering the hands.

By adjusting the knees, the tension in the back (or possibly in the back of the thighs) should decrease during flexion and increase during extension.

➡️ Workload: Start with 1 to 2 times per day (with at least one minute of rest between each), about 4 to 5 times per week.

If the pain is too intense, try reducing the range of motion. In other words, simply lower yourself less.

➡️ Why this exercise?

An episode of sciatica can disrupt the ability to bend forward, which requires a minimum level of flexibility in the back and hips.

The purpose of this exercise is to work on recovering and then maintaining this ability.

This exercise has the advantage of being able to be practiced almost anywhere, as it does not require lying down or sitting, nor any equipment.

Exercise #2: Upright Cobra

➡️ Starting position: standing, both hands in the small of the back

⚠️ Due to pain, some may not be able to straighten up completely. If this is the case for you, I’ll explain shortly how to adapt the exercise.

➡️ Instructions:

• Lean backward as much as the pain allows (see general instructions for pain management during exercises).
  Adaptation: If due to pain you can’t stand up straight, try to straighten up as much as possible instead of leaning backward.
• Return to your starting position.
• Repeat this movement 10 to 20 times, then hold the final position leaning backward for 5 to 10 deep breaths (about 15 to 30 seconds).

➡️ Workload: Start with 1 to 2 times per day (with at least one minute of rest between each), about 4 to 5 times per week.

If the pain is too intense, try reducing the range of motion. In other words, simply lean back less!

➡️ Why this exercise?

While the importance of the ability to bend forward is probably obvious to everyone, the importance of bending backward may be less so…

In fact, a certain degree of flexibility in the back in this direction is essential for:

• Standing perfectly upright;
• Lying flat on the stomach or on the back.
  All this, without lower back discomfort!

Often, these basic abilities are degraded in cases of sciatica. The purpose of this exercise is therefore to work on recovering and then maintaining these abilities.

Note that like the first exercise, this second one can be practiced almost anywhere and without any equipment!

Can exercises really relieve sciatica?

To relieve sciatica, one can look for exercises for:

• Very quick but temporary pain relief. Even if the pain returns shortly after stopping the exercise, it provides some relief.
• More sustainable improvement, a real way to reduce the duration of an episode, alleviate overall intensity, or even prevent the risk of recurrence.
  Let’s now examine each of these categories of exercises.

Exercises for Quick Relief of Sciatic Pain

On the internet, many articles and videos present exercises to relieve sciatica. Often, these contents are followed by comments.

In these comments, many very positive testimonials are found, reporting a quick relief of pain. What should we make of this?

In my opinion, it is entirely possible that certain exercises can provide very rapid (albeit temporary) relief of pain in some cases.

And that’s a good thing! Indeed, even if the action of a pain relief method is temporary, it’s still something gained.

(Of course, provided that it’s not too risky and doesn’t cost too much, which in my opinion is the case with exercises.)

That being said, there are, in my view, two small problems with this category of exercises today:

• I don’t believe we can know in advance which specific exercise will be suitable for which person.
• I also don’t believe we can determine in advance what the right appropriate dose will be.

To my knowledge, this type of exercise has not been studied by science, which has focused on exercises aiming for more lasting effects (see below).

Practical consequence: if you’re looking for an exercise for very quick pain relief, you have to try. If you get the expected effect, great. If not, try another one!

(The two exercises presented earlier are not aimed at providing quick relief from pain, but it’s not impossible for them to have this effect. Let me know in the comments! 🙏🏻)

Exercises for Lasting Improvements

It’s often the same story: it depends on what we mean by “exercises.” If by that, we mean a specific number of very specific exercises that:

• would have the power to reduce the duration or overall intensity of a sciatica episode or prevent recurrences,
• compared to someone who simply follows general recommendations (see below),

then no, unfortunately, it probably doesn’t exist.

Indeed, on this subject, it’s important to know that:

• In 2024, no consistent scientific evidence has been able to demonstrate such exercises (even if they are personalized and supervised!).
• International recommendations for treating sciatica speak to the value of exercise in general, not specific exercises (see the dedicated section below).
• My own experiences as a physiotherapist and patient, coupled with my critical expertise as a researcher, have never allowed me to identify such exercises.

Furthermore, it is risky to introduce exercises that are too specific during a sciatica episode. I will elaborate on this point in the following section.

Sources: Almeida, 2023; Dove, 2023; Bernstein, 2017

Are there any dangers in doing exercises for sciatica?

Introducing new exercises into a daily routine carries risks, regardless of the problem:

• either temporarily increase existing pain;
• or create new pains elsewhere.

And I would say that this is particularly true when venturing to do very specific exercises without supervision.

Here, I speak mainly from my personal and professional experiences. The scientific literature is relatively silent on this subject [Karlsson, 2020].

Regarding personal experience, I think it’s interesting to mention that:

👉🏼 I myself triggered the worst episode of sciatica in my life by testing an unusual exercise (during my physiotherapy studies!);

👉🏼 I have several times given myself neck or lower back pain (among other things):

• either by trying out new exercises;
• or by reintroducing exercises that I hadn’t done in a long time.

Fortunately, even if these painful episodes have sometimes been quite inconvenient, they have never been serious and have always passed on their own (phew!).

Sources: Karlsson, 2020

Would I do exercises myself if I had sciatica?

In case of doubt about a treatment proposed by a healthcare professional, it can be interesting to ask them the question:

“Would you do the same thing if you were in my place?”

(Variants: “Would you do the same thing if it were your child? Your mother? Etc.)

In this article, I spare you from having to do it by asking the question to myself: nice, isn’t it? 😊

Moreover, having already experienced back pain / sciatica, from which I recovered well, I can tell you what I do, not just what I would do!

When I have sciatica or back pain (without warning signs, see the dedicated section above):

👉🏼 I don’t do specific exercises in addition to my regular muscle maintenance exercises (let’s say yoga and at-home workouts, for style).

(Note that these regular exercises include the two exercises I present in this article).

👉🏼 I sometimes adapt or pause certain exercises, depending on how much they increase my pain.

👉🏼 I continue to practice my usual exercises not to relieve my sciatica, but because I believe they are important for other reasons.

👉🏼 I continue to maintain my usual level of physical activity as much as possible (with adaptations if necessary):

• in work (cycling, stairs, etc.)
• in my leisure and maintenance physical activities (trail running or hiking, yoga and at-home workouts);
• in my household chores (vacuuming, shopping, etc.).

That being said, you may now have a number of questions that deserve answers. Let’s examine each of them.

Why do exercises even in the absence of sciatica?

According to major international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), being as active as possible would be good for health.

In other words, the less time spent sitting, lying down, or slouched on a couch, the better our physical and psychological well-being would be.

Thus, exercising regularly is a way (among others) to move a little more, and thus increase physical activity and break out of sedentary behavior.

Source: WHO, 2018

See also: exercises and movements when sitting for too long.

Why not do specific anti-sciatic exercises?

Simply because, unfortunately, I don’t believe there is any specific exercise that would:

• Reduce the overall intensity of a sciatica episode,
• Shorten its duration,
• Or prevent the risk of recurrence.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe in this because (among other reasons):

• In 2024, there is still no solid scientific evidence supporting such an idea (even for personalized and supervised exercises!);
• Nothing of the sort is mentioned in the most recent international recommendations (see the dedicated section below);
• My experiences as a physiotherapist and patient, scrutinized through my critical researcher’s lens, have not allowed me to observe anything conclusive.

On the other hand, introducing unusual movements always carries a risk of exacerbating existing pain or creating new pains elsewhere.

Sources: Almeida, 2023; Dove, 2023; Bernstein, 2017

Why stay as active as possible in the case of sciatica?

In case of sciatica, it’s important to remain as active as possible for two reasons:

Firstly, as I mentioned earlier, it’s recommended to be as active as possible for your health in all cases.

Secondly, because this advice is one of the pillars of international recommendations for managing sciatica!

I now propose to briefly examine the content of these recommendations.

What is the recommended treatment for sciatica?

The recommended management for sciatica today (without warning signs; see above) is not different from that of general low back pain.

This management primarily involves reassuring, informing, advising, and potentially directing towards active therapeutic approaches, excluding medication:

(I will discuss medication-based approaches in another article.)

➡️ Reassuring and informing about what is known about episodes of sciatica, for example:

• why it hurts;
• how long it lasts (see below for the good news!);
• are there things to do to speed up recovery;
• are there behaviors to avoid that could worsen the problem;
• Etc.

➡️ Encouraging to stay active and maintain lifestyle habits as much as possible. In other words, not letting pain intimidate.

➡️ Potentially directing towards active therapeutic approaches, excluding medication.

In this regard, the number one choice is physical activity (or exercise):

• activities that engage the heart and breath (known as “aerobic” activities): cycling, walking, swimming, etc.;
• stretching;
• muscle strengthening;
• holistic activities mixing exercises of different natures (for example, balance, breathing, or posture exercises): yoga, Tai Chi, etc.;
• more generally, any physical or sports activity feasible despite the pain.

Secondarily, in certain circumstances only, and in addition to a physical activity program, the following approaches may be considered:

• psychotherapy;
• manual therapies (for example, mobilizations or manipulations).

Why “in certain circumstances only” for these latter approaches? This will depend on factors such as:

• whether this is your first episode of sciatica or not;
• how long you’ve been in pain;
• how much pain you’re experiencing;
• how you experience your pain (for pain of equal intensity, some people cope with it worse than others);
• your personal preferences.

That being said, you may notice that at no point did I mention that it is recommended to do specific exercises to relieve sciatica!

And that’s the central takeaway from this part (in connection with the general theme of this article):

• No international recommendation for the treatment of sciatica mentions specifically doing certain exercises.
• Rather, it is recommended to start any type of exercise program, or more generally, physical activity.
• There is currently no reason to think that one program is more effective than another.
• The choice of the program should therefore be based on other criteria (side effects, preferences, cost, etc.).
• Some experts even argue that simply walking is the best option! (As it is practical, inexpensive, and low-risk of side effects.)

Sources: Almeida, 2023; Dove, 2023; Oliveira, 2018; Ernst, 2018; Bernstein, 2017

And by the way, how long does sciatica typically last?

Scientific knowledge regarding the average duration of a sciatica episode differs depending on whether it’s:

• a first episode or a recurrent one (“recurrent” meaning having had sciatica in the past but having recovered from it);
• a problem persisting for more than 3 months.

I’ll answer the question of how long sciatica lasts for each case below.

If it’s your first or a recurrent episode of sciatica

In a 2023 study, researchers followed a group of 366 individuals experiencing a new episode of back pain (with and without sciatica).

The researchers measured the duration of this new episode, and here are the results:

• 1 out of 2 people had completely recovered in less than 5 days;
• 7 out of 10 within a week;
• a little over 8 out of 10 within three weeks;
• 9 out of 10 within six weeks;
• a little over 9 out of 10 within twelve weeks (3 months);
• 6 out of 10 patients did not find it necessary to consult a professional for this new episode.

In this study, “completely recovered” meant pain intensity ranging between 0 and 1 out of 10 for at least 7 consecutive days.

Researchers’ conclusions (positive!):

• Most episodes of low back pain (with or without sciatica) are short-lived;
• The population should be reassured on this point and encouraged to consult only in cases of particularly severe or lingering episodes.

Source: de Campos, 2023

If you’ve had the problem for more than 3 months

Sciatic pain persisting beyond 3 months without improvement is a reason for medical consultation (or re-consultation).

If you’ve already done so, it may have been concluded that there’s nothing specific except the pain (which is common).

In this case, it’s referred to as “chronic low back pain” or “chronic lumbosciatica.”

This means, in everyday language, “back pain lasting more than 3 months” and “back pain with sciatica lasting more than 3 months.”

That being said, it’s legitimate to wonder: how much longer can it last?

Studies on the subject involve monitoring pain evolution for a maximum of 12 months. In the vast majority of cases, the pain only improves.

For more details, I invite you to consult our article fully dedicated to this question: How long does sciatica last?

Sources: da C Menezes Costa, 2012; Konstantinou, 2018