Have you always dreamed of knowing how to stretch your sciatic nerves? Well, okay, I admit, “dreamed” might be a bit strong.
Maybe you just think that stretching a sciatic nerve can help reduce sciatic pain. With this in mind, you’re looking for stretching techniques.
In this article, I present three positions to stretch a sciatic nerve. Then, I discuss the benefits of these stretches for relieving sciatic pain.
Happy reading 🙂!
Last update: 21 May 2024
Disclaimer: no Affiliate links. Complete disclosure in legal notices.
Written by Nelly Darbois, physical therapist and scientific writer
Summary
Stretching for the Sciatic Nerve: How to Proceed?
Before we dive into the subject, I highly recommend reading the warning below as well as the safety instructions.
Warning
If you have back pain or think you may have sciatica, the first thing to do is to ensure that there is nothing worrying.
To do this, make sure there are no warning signs or “red flags,” including:
🚩 severe pain, meaning pain that:
is constantly present;
hinders thinking or talking;
prevents sleep;
strongly disrupts simple activities: getting out of bed, going to the toilet, washing, or dressing.
🚩 neurological deficiencies (for example, loss of sensation, numbness, or weakness in one leg);
🚩 urinary or fecal problems;
🚩 fever, loss of appetite, significant fatigue, or weight loss;
🚩 recent trauma (such as a fall);
🚩 persistent and disabling pain beyond 3 months, without improvement despite conservative treatment (i.e., non-surgical).
If you’re not sure whether these different warning signs apply to your case, consult a doctor promptly.
Sources: Jensen, 2019
Safety instructions
The sensation caused by stretching a nerve is not particularly pleasant. So, it’s normal for stretching the sciatic nerve to be a little uncomfortable.
Damaging the sciatic nerve by stretching it is exceptional (see below for the section dedicated to the dangers of stretching the sciatic nerve).
However, as with any stretch, I believe it’s wise to respect certain rules:
🟢 Stretch discomfort should be bearable. It shouldn’t make you grimace!
🟢 Whenever you release the tension, the discomfort should disappear immediately.
🟢 If you alternate between phases of relaxation and stretching, the discomfort should not increase with each repetition.
🟢 Ensure that stretching does not increase, from one day to the next, an already present pain, or create another pain (again from one day to the next).
3 Positions to Stretch the Sciatic Nerve
The following general execution instructions apply to all 3 stretching positions. Specific instructions for each position are then presented.
Finally, I provide instructions for turning each of these stretches into exercises, along with a recommended workload.
General Execution Instructions
The sciatic nerve can be stretched in various positions:
✅ Standing;
✅ Sitting;
✅ Lying on your back.
For each position, to achieve a stretch of the sciatic nerve, it is advisable to:
- lift the toes (on the side you want to stretch);
- straighten the knee (same as above);
- arch the lower back;
- lean forward (which involves lifting the entire leg when lying on your back – see specific instructions for this position below).
Depending on your personal stiffness, some of these adjustment points may be more important than others.
For example, you may not need to arch the lower back (keeping the back straight might be enough), fully straighten the knee, or lean too far forward.
While adhering to safety instructions, feel free to experiment and select the configuration that suits you best.
As long as you manage to stretch the sciatic nerve, that’s what matters.
How do you know if you are effectively stretching the sciatic nerve?
When stretching the sciatic nerve, the sensation felt:
- runs along the entire back of the leg, from the thigh to the calf;
- is distinctly different from that of stretching the muscles at the back of the thigh (the hamstrings), which is much more localized.
Specific Instructions for Each Position
🔸🔸Standing Position🔸🔸
➡️ Starting Position: Stand with feet side by side, normally spaced (not too close together or too far apart).
➡️ Optional Equipment: A chair or any equivalent support.
➡️ Movement Instructions:
These are the same as those mentioned in the general execution instructions above.
While you can perform the stretch simply from a standing position, you can also place your foot on a chair on the side you want to stretch (see photo 1).
🔸🔸Sitting Position🔸🔸
➡️ Starting Position: Sitting
Preferably in a way that your thighs are well supported. To achieve this, you can sit sideways on a chair (see photo 2).
➡️ Equipment: Any support that allows you to sit.
➡️ Movement Instructions:
These are the same as those mentioned in the general execution instructions above.
🔸🔸Lying on Your Back Position🔸🔸
➡️ Starting Position: Lying on your back (see photo 3)
➡️ Equipment: Any support will do, as long as it is comfortable for you.
➡️ Movement Instructions:
The movement instructions are similar to those mentioned in the general execution instructions above, with one key difference:
you need to lift the entire leg rather than leaning forward. To do this, you can use your hands to grasp your thigh from behind.
Exercise Instructions and Workload
Beyond the simple technical aspects of stretching the sciatic nerve, you may be wondering:
How long should I hold the position? Is there a specific number of repetitions to do? A certain number of sets (groups of repetitions)? How often can I practice the exercise? Should I do it every day? Answer: A wide variety of combinations is possible, as long as you follow the safety instructions explained above.
However, here’s how I do it myself, to give you an idea:
➡️ Dynamic Phase
Once the stretch is achieved, I slightly release the tension (for example, by bending the knee a bit), then return to the initial tension level: 10-20 repetitions.
➡️ Static Phase
At the 10th repetition of the dynamic phase described above, I hold the stretch position for 10 to 20 seconds (or 5 to 10 breaths).
In terms of frequency, I do this exercise once for each sciatic nerve (right and left), 3 to 5 times a week.
In the last part, I explain why (or rather in what context) I do these stretches.
In the meantime, let’s now see to what extent stretching the sciatic nerve can be useful if you suffer from sciatic pain.
Can Stretching the Sciatic Nerve Relieve Sciatica?
To relieve sciatica, one might look for exercises that provide very quick but temporary relief, or for more lasting improvements.
Let’s examine these two situations one by one.
Stretching the Sciatic Nerve for Quick Relief
If you’re seeking quick relief from your pain (even if temporary), I have serious doubts that stretching your sciatic nerve will have this effect, unfortunately.
Moreover, even if this stretch could be beneficial, I don’t believe we can determine in advance what the appropriate dosage would be.
However, I see no particular disadvantages in experimenting, provided that:
- you are sure you have no warning signs (see above);
- you strictly follow the general safety instructions (also see above);
- you are well aware of the potential dangers (see the dedicated section below).
If you decide to give it a try, feel free to share your experience in the comments!
Stretching the Sciatic Nerve for Lasting Improvements
Again, unfortunately, I think there is very little chance that stretching your sciatic nerve can bring lasting improvements to your situation.
Why? Essentially for three reasons:
- My experiences as a physiotherapist and patient, combined with my critical perspective as a researcher, leave me skeptical on this point;
- There is no mention of such exercises in international recommendations for the treatment of sciatica;
- I have not come across any scientific studies on the subject.
In a previous article dealing with exercises for sciatica, I developed a similar position regarding exercises in general for relieving sciatica.
Are There Dangers in Stretching the Sciatic Nerve?
I have identified only one case in the scientific literature: a dancer who was practicing splits while her instructor pressed on her shoulders.
This is a very specific situation, far removed from the techniques I have presented in this article.
As long as some basic safety rules are followed (see above), I do not see any particular dangers in stretching the sciatic nerve.
(At least, no more than for any new exercise introduced into a daily routine without supervision.)
Sources: Shim, 2013
Would I Do Sciatic Nerve Stretches if I Had Sciatica?
Yes, it is possible that I would do sciatic nerve stretches if I had sciatica…!
Does this response seem contradictory to the previous sections? Let me explain:
- For over 10 years, I have regularly done stretches for my sciatic nerves as part of my weekly maintenance exercises…
- And this, even outside of any sciatica episodes!
This means that if I had sciatica (without warning signs), I would simply try to see if I could still do them without worsening my condition.
In other words, my goal would not be to attempt to relieve my sciatica through these stretches.
***
Here’s what I wanted to tell you about this! I wish you a very good recovery! Do you have any comments or questions? Your comments are welcome 🙂 !
You may also like:
- Recovery time of sciatica: how long does pain last?
- Best anti-inflammatory for sciatica
- How to Sleep With Sciatica
📚 SOURCES
Jensen R K, Kongsted A, Kjaer P, Koes B. Diagnosis and treatment of sciatica BMJ 2019; 367 :l6273 doi:10.1136/bmj.l6273
Shim HY, Lim OK, Bae KH, Park SM, Lee JK, Park KD. Sciatic nerve injury caused by a stretching exercise in a trained dancer. Ann Rehabil Med. 2013 Dec;37(6):886-90. doi: 10.5535/arm.2013.37.6.886. Epub 2013 Dec 23. PMID: 24466525; PMCID: PMC3895530.
Written by Nelly Darbois
I enjoy writing articles that answer your questions, drawing on my experience as a physiotherapist and scientific writer, as well as extensive research in international scientific literature.
I live in the French Alps☀️🏔️, where I enjoy the simple pleasures of life (+ I’m a Wikipedia consultant and the founder of Wikiconsult).