Hamstring Stretch

Treat Sciatica With Supine Hamstring Stretch


What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a form of leg pain, with the possible inclusion of tingling, weakness, and numbness. Sciatica is not a medical diagnosis by itself, instead, it’s an underlying symptom of lower back disorders including but not limited to degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, (a condition in which a disc in the vertebrae slides forward over the bone below it) lumbar herniated disc (a bone disc that degenerated and breaks causing the core to leak), and spinal stenosis (an abnormal narrowing of the spinal bone channel).


If you are feeling numbness and pain in one of your legs or both and suspect it might be sciatica, it wouldn’t hurt to check with your local doctor before the condition gets worse. Stretching exercises is a proven treatment for sciatica. Although it won’t eliminate the source of the back problem, it will relieve the sciatica symptom. One of the best stretching exercises for sciatica is the Supine Hamstring Stretch.

Supine Hamstring Stretch

Equipment needed:
-Yoga mat or similar. Something you can lie comfortably on
-Hand towel/strap

Target body part: Calves, shins, and thighs

Step 1:
Lie on your back flat on the floor/mat in a comfortable position.

Step 2:
Lift one of your feet straight up, and loop your towel/strap on to the bottom of one foot. Keep the other leg as straight and as flat as u can on the floor. Try to straighten the leg while pulling down the towel towards your chest as best as you can without lifting your hips up off of the floor. Contract your abdominal muscle to stabilize the spine.

step 3:
Hold this position for 5 seconds, gently exhale. Pull the toes downward with the towel while pushing the heel towards the ceiling. You should feel a stretch along the back of the knee and thigh.

step 4:
After 5 seconds, release the stretch and go back to the starting position. Repeat steps 1 through 3 with the other leg. This is one repetition.

Step 5:
Repeat for 20 repetitions. Maintain slow breathing and form throughout the exercise.
After rest, do another set of 20 repetitions.

I hope this stretch helps you in your quest for long-term piriformis syndrome pain relief. Please check out some of our other videos we have provided for your benefit.