Movement is one of the most effective ways to recover from sciatica. Gentle, guided activity helps reduce nerve irritation, ease stiffness, and restore strength and confidence in movement. While rest may seem protective, prolonged inactivity can actually delay recovery by weakening muscles and increasing stiffness.
Studies show that structured exercise programs improve pain, mobility, and return-to-work rates for people with lumbar radicular pain or herniated disc–related sciatica1 2. Staying active within tolerable limits also supports the body’s natural healing process and reduces the chance of recurring episodes3.
Regular tailored exercise is safe and recommended as first-line care for most people with sciatica, according to national and international guidelines4.
Effective exercises for sciatica
Not every exercise is right for every person. If a movement causes sharp pain or new symptoms, stop and consult a medical provider.
1. Prone press-up
Why it helps: Encourages the disc and nerve root to settle, often reducing leg pain when symptoms “centralize” toward the back.
How to do it: Lie face down. Place your hands under your shoulders and slowly press your upper body up, keeping hips on the floor. Go as high as comfortable, hold 2–3 seconds, and lower. Repeat 10 times. Evidence shows extension-based exercises can reduce radiating leg pain when symptoms centralize6.
2. Standing lumbar extension
Why it helps: Reduces pressure on the irritated nerve root during daily activities.
How to do it: Stand tall with your hands on your hips. Gently arch backward within a comfortable range, pause briefly, then return to upright. Repeat several times throughout the day.
3. Abdominal bracing (core activation)
Why it helps: Strengthens stabilizing muscles that support the lower spine.
How to do it: Lie on your back with knees bent. Tighten your stomach as if preparing for a gentle poke. Hold 5 seconds and breathe normally. Repeat 10–15 times. Core stabilization has been shown to improve pain and function in lumbar radiculopathy7.
4. Hip bridge
Why it helps: Builds glute and hamstring strength, supporting the pelvis and reducing strain on the back.
How to do it: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet hip-width apart. Lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold 3 seconds and lower slowly.
Sword outcome: Members who complete guided digital exercise programs for back pain report significant improvements in disability and satisfaction comparable to in-person care, with high adherence and safety5.
Helpful stretches for sciatica
1. Standing hamstring stretch
How it helps: Relieves tension in the back of the leg that can pull on the irritated nerve.
How to do it: Start by placing one foot in front of the other. Bend your body forward, keeping the front knee straight. Push your knee downwards with your hands until you feel the back of your thigh stretching. Hold this position and do it to one side at a time.
2. Figure-4 stretch (glute stretch, supported)
How it helps: Loosens the small muscle in the buttock that can aggravate sciatic symptoms.
How to do it:Cross one ankle over the opposite knee, creating a figure-4 shape with your legs. Gently press down on the knee and lean forward from your hips as far as comfortable, keeping your back straight. You should feel your hip and glute stretching.
3. Knees-to-chest stretch
How it helps: Gently decompresses the lower spine.
How to do it: Lie on your back, bring one or both knees toward your chest, and hold for 10–15 seconds. Relax and repeat.
4. Cat-cow movement
How it helps: Promotes spinal mobility and blood flow.
How to do it: On hands and knees, slowly arch your back upward (cat), then drop your belly toward the floor while lifting your chest (cow). Move gently with your breath.
Did you know?
Nearly two-thirds of herniated discs shrink naturally over time as the body reabsorbs the disc material, helping most people recover without surgery[9].
And in Sword’s digital back care programs, members report comparable recovery to traditional physical therapy, with fewer dropouts and greater convenience for daily life10.
Exercises to avoid with sciatica
Avoid movements that sharply flex the spine or place high loads on the lower back until symptoms calm. These may include:
Deep forward bending (touching toes repeatedly)
Heavy deadlifts or squats with poor control
Twisting while lifting
Long periods of sitting without breaks
These positions can increase nerve tension or pressure in early stages of recovery[8]. Most people can reintroduce them gradually with proper guidance.
Clinical insight
Guidelines from NICE and JOSPT emphasize exercise and education as first-line treatment for sciatica. Active recovery—staying mobile and gradually building strength—leads to better outcomes than prolonged rest4,6.
Kilpikoski S, et al. The McKenzie Method vs Guideline-Based Advice in the Treatment of Sciatica. Clin Rehabil. 2024.
2
Springer. Systematic Review of Sciatica Recovery Patterns. 2023.
3
NICE. NG59: Low Back Pain and Sciatica in Over 16s: Assessment and Management. 2025.
4
JOSPT Clinical Practice Guideline. Interventions for the Management of Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2021;51(11):CPG1–CPG60.
5
Cui D, et al. Randomized-Controlled Trial: Digital Care Program vs Conventional Physiotherapy for Chronic Low Back Pain. NPJ Digit Med. 2023;6:121.
6
Peul WC, et al. Surgery vs Prolonged Conservative Treatment for Sciatica. N Engl J Med. 2007;356:2245–2256.
7
Fritz JM, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2020 summary of early exercise in sciatica management.
8
NICE. NG59: Low Back Pain and Sciatica in Over 16s. 2025.
9
Jiang H, et al. Incidence of Spontaneous Resorption of Lumbar Disc Herniation: Meta-analysis. Pain Physician. 2017;20:E45–E52.
10
Sword Health Internal Study – Digital Care Program Outcomes for Chronic Low Back Pain. 2023.
