Say Goodbye to Sciatic Nerve Pain With These Yoga Poses

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Burning, tingling, searing pain traveling from the buttocks down the back of your leg. I hope this does not sound familiar, but if it does, you are probably dealing with sciatic nerve pain. The bad news is, it hurts. The good news is, you can practice yoga to relieve the pain of sciatica. 

What is the Sciatic Nerve?

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest single nerve in the body. It begins at the low back and then runs down the back of each of the legs. It runs from spinal nerves L4 through S3. These nerve fibers unite to form the sciatic nerve behind the piriformis muscle, which is typically where the pain seems to stem from in many sciatica cases. At the popliteal fossa, back of the knee joint, the nerve splits into two branches.

The function of the sciatic nerve is to provide sensation to the majority of the legs (aside from the inner thighs), as well as to the feet. The sciatic nerve provide communication between the nervous system and the skin of the legs and feet, muscles of the back of the thighs, and muscles of the lower legs and feet.

What exactly is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a term used to describe any irritation of the sciatic nerve. Typically this irritation is caused by either compression in the lower spine—which could include a herniated or bulging disc, or spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis—these we will call bone related, or caused by a tight or overused piriformis muscle—these we’ll call muscle related. The yoga poses in this article will be separated into bone related, or muscle related.

Most cases are bone related, and caused by injuries to the spine. 

1. Bulging or herniated disc. This is the number one cause of sciatica pain. Herniated discs are responsible for about 90% of sciatica cases. Intervertebral discs sit between the vertebrae of the spine. A soft, gel-like structure called the nucleus pulposus sits in the middle of the disc, surrounded by an outer shell. These discs provide cushion, shock absorption, and support. Natural wear and tear over time can cause these discs to dry out, weaken, and develop small tears. Degenerative changes can lead to the nucleus leaking out of a tear in the outer shell — this is considered a herniated disc. Traumatic injuries like car accidents, falls, and sports injuries can also cause disc herniation.
2. Bone spurs. Bone spurs are bony overgrowths on the spine that can irritate the sciatic nerve when they press against the nerve or pinch it. Bone spurs are often caused by arthritis in the spine. The cartilage degenerates and new bone growth is triggered in an attempt to repair the damage to the spine.
3. Spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine. This narrowing puts pressure on the nerves that run through the spine. Lumbar stenosis is the most common type of spinal stenosis and may affect the sciatic nerve. 
4. Spondylolisthesis. This is a condition that involves spinal instability and causes low back pain. It affects the vertebrae of the lumbar spine. One vertebra, or the bones of your spine, slips forward onto the vertebra directly beneath it. The displaced vertebra can compress the sciatic nerve.
5. Traumatic injuries. Traumatic injuries that affect the low back like car accidents, falls, sports injuries, and other violent injuries can trigger sciatica pain. 

The pain caused by sciatica can be described as searing pain shooting down the leg, a burning sensation, numbness, or tingling sensation along the nerve. The pain can range from a mild annoyance, to completely debilitating pain. Each person affected by sciatica will feel it differently. For example, if your sciatica stems from a disc herniation, symptoms will differ depending on which disc is herniated. It’s also possible to feel pain in one place, and tingling or numbness elsewhere.

So, what aggravates the sciatic nerve?

Within the practice of yoga, the below can aggravate the sciatic nerve:

• Straight leg hamstring stretches, as a general rule can be irritating for the sciatic nerve. For example, Uttanasana or Standing Forward Bend with a slight bend in the knees can be more beneficial to those with sciatic nerve pain. 
• Backbends that cause compression in the low back can also aggravate the sciatic nerve. For example, Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose can be an incredibly healing yoga pose for sciatica - when done with the intent to traction or lengthen the spine. Often when students move into Cobra Pose, they focus only on lifting the chest into a backbend. This compresses the discs of the low back (where the sciatic nerve runs through). Instead, pull your chest forward and work a strong tuck in the tailbone to create space in the low back. 

Outside of a yoga practice, the below can irritate the sciatic nerve:

• Poor posture - Poor posture is the culprit of many aches & pains. Poor posture coupled with a weak core can place undue stress on the lower back, causing sciatica flare ups. 
• Sedentary lifestyle - Sitting certainly is the new smoking.  Prolonged sitting can cause disc damage in the spine over time, along with a laundry list of other health concerns. 
• Sitting with objects in the back pocket - Sitting with objects like a phone or wallet in your back pocket can cause pain in the sciatic nerve. This is especially common in men. The pressure of the object on the nerve causes impingement and pain. 
• Pregnancy - Many women experience sciatica pain, especially in their third trimester as their growing belly shifts the pelvis forward and puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.
• Diabetes can also damage the nerve, causing sciatica pain.
• Other factors such as age and obesity may play a role in sciatica pain. It’s common to develop bone spurs and disc herniations as we age. Excess body weight places more stress on the spine, which could potentially trigger sciatica. 

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How long will sciatica take to heal?

Most people start feeling better after 4-8 weeks. Most sciatica cases are mild and get better with time. Lifestyle changes can help.

Sciatica can potentially lead to permanent nerve damage so it’s important to see a doctor if your pain lasts longer than a week, doesn't go away with self care practices, or if the pain was triggered by a car accident or other traumatic injury.

Is yoga good for Sciatica?

Practicing yoga for sciatica pain relief can also help expedite the healing process - and continuing a yoga practice may help prevent it from coming back. In other cases that are more severe, surgery may be recommended. And in very rare cases, sciatica pain may become a permanent disability. 

What causes Sciatic Nerve pain?

There are two main reasons you may be feeling sciatic nerve pain. The first reason being bone related, or the second reason being muscle related.

If it is bone related it is most likely a disc issue such as a disc herniation. If it is muscle related, it could be a tight piriformis muscle putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. You’ll know if it’s caused by the piriformis because you will feel instant relief in Thread the Needle pose.

To test it out, cross the ankle of the leg with pain over the opposite knee and hug the knee into your chest. If it instantly feels better, then the pain is being caused by the piriformis muscle. With either type of sciatica pain, it’s important to strengthen the abdominal muscles as well to help support the back body.

Muscle Related Injury

The piriformis muscle is one of the external rotators of the femur bone. It is a small muscle located behind the gluteus maximus, deep in the buttocks. With this type of sciatic nerve pain, it’s important to strengthen and gently stretch the leg muscles, glutes, and the abdominals. 

Bone Related

A bone related sciatica injury means that there is an intervertebral disc that is compressing the sciatic nerve. This could be due to a bulging or herniated disc.

In this case it’s best to work toward decompressing the lumbar, or lower spine. In all of the below poses, remember to work a strong tuck of the tailbone and feel for lifting the ribs—lengthening the spine.

Below are a few yoga poses for sciatica!

Supta Kapotasana or Reclined Pigeon pose, is effective in stretching the piriformis muscle. Although the pose requires external rotation of the femur, once the femur is rotated outward to 90 degrees, it becomes a stretch and the piriformis is no longer working.

Sanskrit: Supta Kapotasana

Step-by-step:

1. Begin lying down on your back with the knees bent.
2. Cross the right ankle over the left thigh, creating a figure four shape.
3. Draw the left knee in towards the chest.
4. Weave the right arm between the legs and reach the left arm around the left knee, interlacing the fingers either behind the thigh or the shin.
5. If the right elbow makes contact with the right thigh, use it to guide the knee outward and deepen the stretch.
6. As you inhale, fill up the belly completely, keeping the breath low in the belly.
7. As you exhale, draw the left knee in even closer to the body.

Child’s Pose can be useful in alleviating sciatic nerve pain because it elongates the lumbar spine, and stretches the hips. It also temporarily relieves compression. 

Sanskrit: Balasana

Step-by-step:

1. Begin on all fours in a tabletop position. Use a blanket to pad your knees for added comfort.
2. Bring your toes in to touch.
3. Ease your hips back towards your heels, and walk your hands forward. 
4. Depending on your body, you may choose to keep your knees hip width distance apart. This increases the stretch in your spine. If this position does not allow enough space for your belly, widen your knees into a wide knee Child's Pose variation. 
5. For sensitive knees, you may need an additional blanket to place between your calves and thighs. It may also feel nice to place a block under the hips for support. 
6. If your forehead does not easily rest on the mat, add a block or a pillow under the forehead. 
7. Hold for 10 breaths, or as long as is comfortable in your body - up to 10 minutes at a time. 

Twisting in Crescent Lunge helps sciatica not only by focusing on internal rotation, but also by addressing the weak core. In this variation, keep the back knee bent rather than extending.

Step-by-step:

1. Begin in a high lunge with the right foot forward and left foot back.
2. Keep both knees bent at a ninety degree angle.
3. Work a strong tuck of the tailbone to keep the hips stable and squared.
4. Draw the low belly in.
5. Engage the inner thighs in toward the midline energetically, without buckling the knees in toward each other. Knees stay facing forward.
6. Reach both arms straight out in front of you.
7. On an exhale, twist both arms to the right.
8. Keep the rotation in the hips and don’t allow it to come from the low back.
9. Inhale to return to center. Exhale to twist.

Bhujangasana, or Cobra Pose, helps to strengthen the lower spine and glutes, while also lengthening the lower spine when done correctly. Adding a block works as a reminder to ensure that the correct muscles are engaged.

Sanskrit: Bhujanasana

Step-by-step:

1. Begin lying down in prone position with a block between the thighs
2. Take a moment to reset your legs by lifting one leg at a time and internally rotating them (toes in heels out). This is to create space in the sacrum so there is no “crunching” in the lower spine.
3. Bring your hands forward of the shoulders, about six to 12 inches. This is further forward than a typical Cobra pose.
4. Use your core to root the tailbone down toward the ground.
5. Inhale and reach your heart forward as you lift your chest. Use your fingers to traction the heart forward, lengthening the spine.
6. Feel for squeezing the block in by engaging the inner thighs. Do your best to keep the glutes relaxed.
7. Draw the shoulder blades down the back as you lift, avoid bringing the shoulders up to the ears. Hold for three to five breaths.
8. Repeat three times.

This variation of Locust Pose focuses on tucking the tailbone down and rooting the tops of the feet down. This helps to strengthen and decompress the low back and strengthen the abdominals.

Sanskrit: Ardha Salabhasana

Step-by-step:

1. Begin lying prone, on the belly, with your hands stacked and forehead resting on the backs of your hands.
2. Reset your legs by lifting one leg at a time and internally rotating them (toes in heels out) to create space in the sacrum so there is no “crunching” in the lower spine.
3. Bring the legs together, as if you have a mermaid tail. Engage the inner thighs by working the legs in toward each other.
4. Press firmly down into the tops of the feet. Work to press evenly, meaning the big toes and the pinky toes are both pressing into the mat. The knee caps might lift up.
5. Feel for rooting the tailbone down toward the heels. Use the abdominals and reach the navel in towards the ribs.
6. Bring the arms out into a "T" shape. On an inhale lift the upper body up. Keep the lower body engaged as described above. Feel for reaching the heart forward as you lift and keep the gaze down to elongate the spine.
7. Hold for three to five breaths. Repeat three times.

One-Legged King Pigeon pose can be helpful or harmful for those with sciatica. When performed the typical way with the back leg straight, it can contradict relief for sciatica pain. Instead, try performing the pose with the back leg bent—this variation is sometimes called Star Shape.

Sanskrit: Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Step-by-step:

1. Begin in on all fours.

2. Draw the right knee forward behind the right wrist, and move it slightly out to the right.

3. Place the right foot behind the left wrist so that the shin is at an angle behind the wrists.

4. Tuck the back toes under and scoot the left knee back slightly.

5. Then, sit back on the right sit bone. Keep the left knee bent.

6. Square your chest to the right shin and fold over it.

7. Stay in the pose for 10-20 breaths, or for as long as it feels good.

8. Repeat on the other side.

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Step-by-step:

1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and heels near your sit bones.

2. Lift your hips up into Bridge pose, and place the block beneath your sacrum at medium level, or the level that feels most appropriate in your body.

3. Lift your right leg straight up toward the sky and cross the right ankle on top of the left knee—finding a figure four shape.

4. As you inhale, feel for squeezing of the sit bones in toward the tailbone, and driving the hips up toward the sky. As you exhale, actively guide the right knee forward to release compression in the hip socket.

5. Stay for at least 5-10 breaths, and then repeat on the other side.

Sanskrit: Ardha Bhujangasana

Step-by-step:

1. Start by lying down in prone position on your belly.

2. Take a moment to reset your legs by lifting one leg at a time and internally rotating them (toes in heels out). This is to create space in the sacrum so there is no “crunching” in the lower spine.

3. Bring your hands forward of the shoulders, about 6-12 inches. This is further forward than a typical Cobra pose.

4. Feel for rooting the tailbone down toward the ground and reach your heart forward as you lift your chest. Use your fingers to traction the heart forward, lengthening the spine.

5. Draw the shoulder blades down the back as you lift, avoid bringing the shoulders up to the ears. Hold for 3-5 breaths.

6. Repeat three times.

Sanskrit: Setu Bandhasana

Step-by-step:

1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and heels near your sit bones.

2. Reach down toward your heels and make sure that you can touch, or almost touch the heels. Press down through the feet to lift your hips.

3. Place a block under your sacrum at medium setting, or use the setting that feels most appropriate for your body.

4. Feel for scooping the tailbone under and curling the pubic bone in toward the belly button. This action will help to decompress the lower spine.

5. Lift your toes and root down through the heels and the balls of the feet. Activate inner thighs by energetically squeezing in toward the midline without actually moving your thighs anywhere.

6. Stay here working a strong tuck of the tailbone for up to 10 breaths.