How To Treat Sciatica - Effective Home Exercise Progression For Sciatic Nerve Pain

Sciatica is pain, numbness, or tingling down the back of your leg that originates in your back and travels down your leg. Oftentimes exercising and moving in certain ways can help to minimize these symptoms. This is a progression of the best physical therapy exercises to help you treat your sciatic nerve symptoms.

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(Below we'll discuss sciatic nerve pain as related to the most common cause - a bulged or herniated disc. If your sciatica is coming from a different source, this may not be the best exercise progression for you. You're encouraged to consult with your doctor or physical therapist for an individualized treatment plan.)

As a doctor of physical therapy, spine injuries are the most common condition that I treat.

It seems like at one time or another low back pain or neck pain inflicts all of us. To a degree, almost all of us will experience some degree of low back or neck pain.

Depending on the cause of your low back pain, you may experience the accompanying symptom of sciatica. This  is characterized by pain/numbness/tingling down the back of your leg. It can travel to your glute, hamstring, or (in more severe cases) down into your calf and ankle.

Today I wanted to share with you the best exercises for treating sciatic nerve pain. This method of treatment is it clinically proven and backed by dozens of research studies to be the most effective exercise treatment for a common cause of sciatic nerve pain.

PHASE ONE: LAYING PRONE ON YOUR STOMACH
The simplest way to promote extension through your spine is to lay down prone on your stomach. This will create a natural curve to your back and vertebrae which will push the disc in the right direction. Gravity also works on the disc in this position to draw it closer to the center.

PHASE TWO: PRONE ON ELBOWS
Bring your elbows directly under your shoulders and lift your chest up off of the floor. Your hips/stomach should stay in contact with the floor. In this position we promote increased extension through your lower back and draw the disc a little more aggressively back in the place.

Hold this position on your elbows for about 10 seconds, then lower your chest back down to the floor for 10 seconds, then repeat. This prone on elbows extension activity should be repeated 10 times for 10-second holds two times a day.

PAHSE THREE: HALF PRONE PRESS UPS
Now bring your hands directly under your shoulders. Lift your chest up off of the floor by extending your elbows approximately halfway. Once again, your goal is to keep your stomach and pelvis in contact with the floor and promote extension through your lower back.

PHASE FOUR: FULL PRONE PRESS UPS
A full prone press up is performed in a similar manner to the half press-up; the difference now is that your goal is to fully extend your elbows. Try to keep your pelvis/stomach in contact with the floor as your extend your elbows fully and raise your shoulders as high as they can go.

PHASE FIVE: STANDING BACK BEND
The standing back bend is performed by leaning over as far as you can backwards from a standing position. This is a little more aggressive than those I previously showed because it is in a weight-bearing posture and you do have to engage some muscles to keep from falling over. However, this is a great exercise to work some of your disc material back into place and minimize those sciatic nerve symptoms.

Properly treating sciatic pain with the right exercises at the right time can be a very effective, non-invasive form of treatment for these symptoms.

DISCLAIMER: This content (the video, description, links, and comments) is not medical advice or a treatment plan and is intended for general education and demonstration purposes only. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. Don’t use this content to avoid going to your healthcare professional or to replace the advice they give you. Consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained in this content. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless T&T Digital Media, LLC and its officers for any and all losses, injuries, or damages resulting from any and all claims that arise from your use or misuse of this content. T&T Digital Media, LLC makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of this content. Use of this content is at your sole risk.

[toneandtighten]

Great progression of effective exercises! Let me know if they help you out in a comment!

[raybohn]

As your video description text states - "Sciatica is pain, numbness, or tingling down the back of your leg that originates in your back and travels down your leg". I have lived with this for years. It reached my feet and toes. It affected my ability to walk correctly and worse- my ability to sleep. I thought it was being caused by simply not being active.
Twenty minutes after viewing your instructions and using your techniques, I laid in bed pain free and slept for hours for the first time in years.
Amazing!
Thank you.

[bradleyallport]

If you were in front of me I would give you the biggest hug. I have endured 3 months of excruciating pain for 3 month. I figured it would get better with nope.
I did three sets of the first exercise and was almost completely pain free. Maybe a centralized pain in my butbcheek but not throbbing leg pain and the numb foot. That was all gone. I cannot Thank you enough! Many Blessing to you and your family!

[MelaniaKrystle]

Every video I watched was about leg stretching, and has not helped at all! This video was the first to address fixing the problem and not just the pain. Thank you so much

[michaellatka]

Dr. Jared, I have dealt with spinal stenosis for about 8 years now. I am 67 years old and active in exercising daily. But my back has effected my life. I found your site by looking up how to stretch my hip flexors. Your explanation on back back, hip flexors has been very helpful and your exercises are so effective. I finally had a great nights sleep and woke up with no back pain for the first time in a long time. Thank you so much for your effective explanations of back pain and the exercises you have shown. Great information. I will continue to use your videos and have shared them with others.

[robs]

Hey chap, I have been seriously suffering with this for 3 weeks, unable to lay down or sit in a car, or basically do anything. I’ve been doing these exercises for 3 days and I’m feeling better already. You’re an absolute hero

[mishalkhan]

I am 27 and suffering from sciatica for a couple of months. Tried everything but didn't got any relief. Just saw your video and tried some of these exercises. I felt instant relief doing so. Really thankful to you for posting such a detailed video. I got tears in my eyes coz i was literally terrified by thinking about the future and what else I would've gone through carrying this pain.

[LoraArtworks]

I really like how he explains things where a non medical person can understand! Thanks!

[juantibocha]

I am 28 and was diagnosed with a lumbar disk herniation around 5 years ago. Pain has always been there, and was totally affecting my life to the point I had to stop playing the sports I liked and prevented me from keeping a healthy lifestyle. A week ago I told myself that was enough and I looked for a video to help with the pain, and I came across your video. I have to say this was like magic, only a week and pain has reduced by a lot, I was able to play sports again! I will make this part of my daily life, I'm excited to see if the pain can go away entirely. I just want to say thank you. I wish I saw this earlier, but I am thankful I didn't see it later.

[browniez]

Been dealing with my back pain since 3 weeks. I’m so glad I saw your video. I thank you with all my heart. After watching it, I started doing the exercises. Now my pain is mostly gone:)

[carolyn]

Exercises start at about 9:00
Thank you so very much for your explanation and demonstrations.

[ripcordsabeff]

Oh. My. God! 4 months of medication and injnections and only pain
You two gorgeous people helped relieve that in a single session in less than 15 minutes!
Thank you!

[bighomiemaui]

After following these steps for 2 months, I've felt my sciatica pain slowly go back up to my lower back. Thank you again for creating this video🤙🏽

[Dan_Ranger]

After suffering on and off with sciatica for years and last week having a massive episode of back spasms. Literally knocking me on the floor! Stumbled across your video late last week and forced myself to run through a few repetitions over the weekend… wow!
You sir are a life saver and this will now be part of my weekly routine.
Amazing advice that will hopefully keep me upright and pain free going into my late 50’s 🙏

[sandracallahan]

Thank you for your videos, I love how you explain the experience/stretch's. My therapist has given me most of these sciatica nerve exercises, but with out the explanation, as time does not really allow it. This started happening after a full knee replacement surgery. The pain has caused me to lose sleep to many nights. Anyway thanks for your supporting videos 👍🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[melstars]

This helped a lot after the first session. Today was the first time I noticed any amount of sciatic pain. I've had random tingling or numbness in the past, but never to the point of any concern. I will be checking out your other videos. Thank You.

[bobparajames]

Thank you, doctor. I am watching you from Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬.
May God bless your professionalism.

[amrutadesai]

I have mild sciatica pain once in a while and I always rely on these exercises to reduce it. It has worked for me! Thanks doc!!!

[bethwebster]

You do a fabulous job of explaining the pain source. Super easy to follow! I'm starting to work on your exercises and pray they help get rid of my pain! Thanks for all your efforts in making this video!

[antoineleedolliole]

I want to give you my thanks. The way you present this material is my personal favorite, diving right into useful information that is broken down and made easy to understand immediately.

These exercises have eliminated my lower back pain!