Sciatic nerve stretch for piriformis muscle syndrome

Sciatic nerve stretch step by step (assuming the sciatica pain is felt in your left leg)

1. Sciatic nerve stretch: starting position
2. Put left ankle over right knee
3. Now lift the right leg
4. Push left knee away, hold for a few seconds & release
5. Push your left knee to your right, hold for a few seconds & release
6. Sciatic nerve stretch: wrap up

This sciatic nerve stretch will get you pain relief from sciatica caused by the piriformis syndrome.
While doing this stretch,  use common sense. No forcing, no hurting yourself, not trying to achieve any performance of some sort.
Just feel the stretch in the buttock and back of the thigh while breathing deeply.

This exercise is variation #2 of the sciatic nerve stretches that help reduce pain from sciatica caused by the piriformis syndrome.

Sciatic nerve stretch video

1. Sciatic nerve stretch starting position

• Start the stretch flat on your back, in a relaxed position.
• Knees are straight and toes are pointing straight up, shoulders are flat as are your elbows and your the hands: flat on the ground or the yoga mat if you use one.

2. Put left ankle over right knee

While keeping it flat on the ground:

• Bring your right foot back towards your right buttock
• Gently bring your left ankle on your right knee.

For the purpose of this how-to, we’re assuming the sciatic pain is felt on the left side) left leg. If you have pain on the right side, then you need to do this exercise with the right leg.

3. Sciatic nerve stretch: lift right leg

In order to feel the stretch in the sciatic nerve:

• We now need to lift the right leg from the ground.
• The right thigh forms a 90 degree angle with the pelvis.
• The right calf forms a 90 degree angle with the right thigh.

Now you should feel the stretch in the left buttock, and in the back of the left thigh.
Tip!
Feel free to use a chair to help maintain that position and rest your right foot.

4. Push left knee away, hold & bring it back

• Now you can start increasing the intensity of the stretch by gently pushing the left knee away from you…
• Hold a few seconds…release…
• Keep breathing.

To get sciatic nerve pain relief, do this a couple of times until you feel comfortable: this means the stretch is working for you.

5. Push your left knee to your right

2nd way of increasing the intensity of this stretch:

• Gently push your left knee to your right
• Hold a few seconds…release…
• Keep breathing.

To get sciatic nerve relief, repeat a couple of times until you feel comfortable.
Tip!
The more you push on your knee, the more you’ll feel the stretch is intense, the more likely you are to get sciatic nerve relief.

6. Sciatic nerve stretch: wrap up

As always, use common sense when doing this stretch.
Just take it easy, make sure you feel stretch in your sciatic nerve, breathing deeply.
Tip!
Don’t overdo it, do not hurt yourself, don’t try to achieve any kind of performance: it’s not the point.

Sciatic nerve stretch lying down video transcript

To relieve sciatic nerve pain caused by a piriformis syndrom lying down, do this exercise, which is a variation of the stretch shown in the above video, containing detailed information on the piriformis syndrom, and why it can cause sciatic nerve pain.

Sciatic nerve stretch Variation #1

1. Start the stretch flat on your back, bring the left leg towards you and bring the left ankle, on your right knee. (If you have pain in the other leg then switch legs of course.)
2. In order to feel the stretch. in the sciatic nerve, we need to lift the right leg.
   Now the stretch is felt in the buttock and the back of the thigh.
3. To make the stretch easier and last as long as possible, you can use a chair to rest your foot.
   Now you can start increasing the intensity of the stretch by gently pushing on the left knee…hold…release…Push…Hold…Release…

Sciatic nerve stretch Variation #2

1. Bend your knee to your right,
2. Hold…Release…Bend your knee to your right…Hold…And release…
3. As always, use common sense when doing this stretch, don’t overdo, do not hurt yourself, take it easy just make sur you feel stretch, breathing deeply.

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Sciatic nerve stretch on Pinterest

Piriformis syndrome is a condition which is believed to result from compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle. Symptoms may include pain and numbness in the buttocks and down the leg.
Source: Wikipedia