Yoga for Sciatica: 11 Incredible Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief

If you drive, carry heavy loads for a living, or even if you simply sit for long periods, sciatica can really creep up. And when it comes, it comes. Ouch!

As many as 40% of us men will suffer from sciatica in our lifetime.

At So We Flow..., we want to help you all out. So we ask, how can we alleviate and prevent the pain and discomfort that sciatica brings, through simple yoga poses? 

Here are some of the Level 1 asanas we go to when sciatica calls.

Yoga for Sciatica: 11 Incredible Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief

Cat & Cow Pose

Start easy. Come on. This isn’t a competition and this fully supported pair of poses really help you to feel into your sciatica. The relief is almost instant. If you’ve a flair up, throw down a towel, get on your hands and knees, and slowly roll and breathe through these back bends.

Child's Pose

Great for elongating and stretching the spine. And not just the spine either, Child’s Pose helps you to safely promote flexibility and openness in the lower back, hips and thighs. If you do nothing else for your sciatica today, drop a sumptuously long Child’s Pose. Simply lovely.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

One of yoga’s most recognised poses, downward facing dog will create space in the hamstrings and decrease the tension you feel in the lower back. Hold the pose for 2-3 minutes if it feels good. And you have full control with how much you straighten your legs.

Pigeon on a Chair

Let’s get practical here. You’re not always going to have access to a studio to throw your mat out into, and it’s great to keep your body supple at work. After Pigeon On A Chair, your piriformis will be incredibly grateful, and it’s a knee-saver if you struggle on hard floors.

Half Moon Pose

Open your abdomen and stretch your spine, glutes and thighs in a way that no other pose quite can. Half moon is a right little treat and a super expander. If your arm won’t meet the floor, use a block. Great for sciatica, this pose always lifts our mood as well.

Locust Pose

As we’re not pushing into the floor with our hands, Locust can be a gentler way to ease your spine and back into a taller cobra. And, with Locust, you’re also inclined to use your back and glute muscles with a little more intention. We like it. In fact, we love a Locust for sciatica.

Sphinx Pose

It’s more than Locust but it’s not quite Upward Facing Dog. You get where we’re going? Build into where you want to go. You’re in pain, so look after yourself, and go where your body says it wants to go at the time: no more. Sphinx is a gentle backbend that will strengthen and lengthen.

Upward Facing Dog Pose

It’s so soothing for sciatica, but remember to keep those legs engaged. Distribute the backbend evenly through the entire spine, and warm into the pose. It’s easy to throw a punchy Upward Facing D-O-G out early doors, but your body might not like it. Listen in, and take your time.

Bridge Pose

Take it gently, but warming into a bridge - or even a supported bridge with a block under the hip points - can be a real relief. Try to keep the butt soft and manage the pose with an ease if you can. Take a few breaths and then slowly release back to the floor one vertebrae at a time.

Pigeon Pose

Go deep on your glutes with this real bad boy. Relieve your piriformis, stimulate your internal organs and relieve sciatic pain. Your hip rotators, buttocks and hip flexors all benefit, and drawing so much blood and deep work into your root really encourages the healing process.

Eye of the Needle Pose

This works in bed too. It’s so good. It stretches and opens the outer hips and increases your strength and range of motion for the supporting muscles of the lower body. It certainly gets the blood pumping through the legs, hips and lower back, and that makes a huge difference.

Thanks for reading, Yoga for Sciatica: 11 Incredible Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief.

Do you have a go to pose for sciatica that you want to share with us?

Or maybe you suffer from another condition that you’d like us to feature?

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