Physical Therapy Exercises for Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that extends from the base of the spine, branches into two parts and runs down the rear of each buttock and leg. When pinched, irritated, inflamed or injured, it may cause pain, stiffness, difficulty sitting, standing or lying down and generally limits mobility and comfort. Learning various stretching and physical therapy exercises to help relieve pain, increase mobility and function and reduce flare-ups improves quality of life for those who live with the pain of sciatica.

Improve Lumbar Strength

• Improve lumbar, or lower back, strength by working the lower abdominals through performing moves that work both the front and the back portions of the lower torso. One of the best is a pelvic tilt, which can relax tight muscles and provide relief. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. This position is comfortable for those experiencing pain from sciatica. Tighten your abdomen, as if you're trying to suck your belly in to touch your spine. Tighten your buttocks muscles at the same time.

  Start the move by slightly scooping your pelvis upward, as if you're scooping up a spoonful of sugar. You're not lifting your entire buttocks area off the floor, just curling upward. Then slowly lower your pelvis, pressing your lower spine to the floor while at the same time keeping your abdominal muscles pulled in tightly. Relax. Do this exercise about 10 times.

Stretching

• Stretch as often as possible. Stretching is effective in reducing the pain of sciatica and also help relieve tension and pressure on pinched or irritated sciatic nerves. Standing with your feet about shoulder width apart, slowly bend forward as far as you can without pain. Brace your hands against your thighs for additional support if you need it. Move your hands further down the front of your thighs as you continue to bend forward, feeling the slight pull in your lower back as you do so. Bend forward only as far as is comfortable for you, but don't force it. If you can, remove your hands from your thighs, letting them hang down toward the floor, and exhale, allowing your upper body to literally hang in that position for a few seconds. Return to your starting position very slowly, bracing your hands on your thighs again for support as you rise, spine curved inward, inch by inch until you have returned to a standing position.

Low-Impact Exercises

• Try yoga, tai chi, Pilates, walking or swimming to help relieve sciatica pain. These types of physical exercise are low impact and are often recommended by physical therapists for relief of sciatica flare-ups. Yoga and Pilates offer stretching moves while tai chi may give temporary relief from pain, as it provides gentle, slow and nonimpact moves. Walking helps to maintain mobility while at the same time increasing the flow of oxygen to the areas of pain, providing relief. Take small steps and walk slowly. Individuals often feel as if they can loosen up a little with walking, as long as it's not too fast and they stick to flat surfaces.