20 Best yoga poses for sciatica relief

Sciatica is commonly the pain that is caused by irritation of your sciatic nerve. Its sensations can include burning sensation, pain, as well as a feeling of numbness. Poor posture while sitting or lying may put pressure on the sciatica nerve and also cause pain. As the pain is unbearable and severe you might be advised medication and rest for some time. But once your pain becomes bearable, you had better quit the pain relieving medicines and begin doing yoga poses under expert guidance to decrease and treat sciatica pain. In this article, VKool.com will show you 20 best yoga poses for sciatica relief which help you cope with sciatica effectively. Try some of these yoga poses for sciatica and find the best one for yourself.

20 Best Yoga Poses For Sciatica Relief You Should Know

1. Eye Of The Needle Pose

yoga poses for sciatica - eye of the needle pose

Sciatica may be effectively cured with certain yoga exercises. Looking for the best yoga poses for sciatica, you should not pass this pose.

Instructions:

  1. First of all, bend your right knee and later place the right foot sole on your floor.
  2. Then, bend your left knee and cross your left ankle so that it may rest on your right thigh.
  3. If possible, raise your right leg and later pull it towards your body.
  4. Thereafter, hold the back of your thigh.
  5. Try relaxing your left knee far from your body.
  6. Do on the other side of your body.

Learn more: 24 Health & Beauty Advantages Of Doing Yoga & Meditation Daily At Home

2. Cow In A Chair

yoga poses for sciatica - cow in a chair

You also should not pass this pose when seeking the best yoga poses for sciatica relief.

Instructions:

  1. In order to perform the cow in one chair pose, you need to sit with your feet flat on your ground plus hands on both your knees.
  2. Now breathe in and slowly exhale.
  3. Repeat these steps many times.

3. Cobra Pose

yoga poses for sciatica - cobra pose

Instructions:

  1. First of all, keep your palms on your floor firmly.
  2. Your hands should be bent under the shoulders. Your elbows also need to be bent.
  3. Then, anchor the pelvis to the floor.
  4. After that, push with the palms and raise your chest off the floor.

4. Sphinx Pose

yoga poses for sciatica - sphinx pose

This is also considered as one of the best yoga poses for sciatica.

Instructions:

  1. First of all, lie on the stomach, and your toes require to be flattened on your floor.
  2. Your forehead needs to be on your ground too.
  3. Make sure both your legs are close, and your heels and feet are in contact.
  4. Then, stretch the hands in the front plus your palms should be facing your floor.
  5. The arms should touch your ground.
  6. Now breathe deeply and raise the head slowly.
  7. After that, raise your chest and abdomen, but ensure your navel is in touch with your floor.
  8. Now, try pulling the torso off the ground using your arms.
  9. Hold breathing frequently all the while.
  10. Exhale and later bring down that lifted abdomen, chest and head on the floor.

5. Standing Twist

yoga poses for sciatica - standing twist

This is also considered among the greatest yoga poses for sciatica that you can try.

Instructions:

  1. First of all, you need to put the chair against your wall.
  2. Then, stand with your wall on the right side.
  3. After that, keep the right foot on your chair and your knee should be bent at ninety degrees.
  4. The standing leg had better be perpendicular. Your right hand should be on your wall.
  5. After that, lift your left heel upwards and now turn the body towards the wall. You use the hands for keeping balance.
  6. When you breathe out, lower your left heel maintaining your twist.
  7. Keep the pose for a few seconds.

6. Modified Pyramid

yoga poses for sciatica - modified pyramid

Basically, this pose mixes pelvis resetting together with hamstring stretching. Don’t forget that hamstring stretches may sometimes aggravate the nerve.

Instructions:

  1. After getting into this pyramid pose, keep your afflicted leg forward plus retract the other leg around 1.5 feet.
  2. With your legs straight, hinge from your hips.
  3. Now bend forward while placing your hands on the chair.
  4. Then, push your forward hip backward and next bring your back hip forward.
  5. Keep for some time and then take five deep breaths.

7. Supine With Pillow Under Your Knees

yoga poses for sciatica - supine with pillow under your knees

Instructions:

  1. First of all, lie with your face upwards and next keep a pillow or bolster under the knees.
  2. Your knees had better be hip-width apart.
  3. Ensure your lower back is in touch with your floor.
  4. Your body shouldn’t be in an arch position.
  5. Keep in this pose and now take a few deep and long breaths.
  6. You had better exhale as if you’re heaving one sigh of relief.

Lear more: Natural Solutions For Knee Pain: Exercises, Herbs, & More

8. Pigeon In A Chair

yoga poses for sciatica - pigeon in a chair

Instructions:

  1. Firstly, you will need one chair which is comfortable for use.
  2. Do not forget that both your legs should be on your floor.
  3. Your thighs should be parallel to your floor too.
  4. Then, keep your right ankle near your left knee.
  5. Try relaxing your right knee near your floor.
  6. Afterwards, repeat this pose on your other side.
  7. For doing any of these pigeon poses, you will need good mobility.

9. Setubandh Asana

yoga poses for sciatica - setubandh asana

Instructions:

  1. First of all, lie down straight.Next bend both the knees.
  2. Breathe in and lift yourself from your waist and place the hands below your waist for support. You should keep your weight on your elbows.
  3. Gradually straighten the legs while keeping your waist raised.
  4. Hold this position for about 5-6 seconds.
  5. Slowly return to theinitial position while exhaling.
  6. Slowly bring your hips, waist and legs to the floor. Now relax in Shava asana for ten seconds.

10. Markat Asana

yoga poses for sciatica - markat asana

Instructions:

  1. Lie in the similar position as for the Setubandh Asana.
  2. Now, bend your legs and bring the feet as close to the hips as possible, keeping them apart at one-foot distance.
  3. Spread the arms along your shoulders.
  4. Inhale and bend the knees towards right side while your turn the neck in the opposite direction.
  5. Try to bring the left knee to touch your right toe.
  6. Fix the gaze on the middle finger of the hand and hold this pose for 5 seconds.
  7. Exhale and return to starting position.
  8. Repeat with your other side. Now relax in Shava asana for ten seconds.

11. Dhanur Asana Or The Bow Pose

yoga poses for sciatica - dhanur asana or the bow pose

Instructions:

  1. First off, you need to lie down on the stomach and next bend your legs.
  2. Bring your feet to touch the hips and then hold them from your ankles with your hands.
  3. Keep the feet together. Now inhale and raise your thighs and knees while keeping the arms straight.
  4. Lift your chest, chin and neck simultaneously.
  5. The stomach should support the weight.
  6. Hold this position for 10 seconds. After that, exhale and slowly return to the starting position.
  7. Relax and do three rounds of Dhanur asana.
  8. Perform Shava asana afterwards.

Learn more: 54 Simple Yoga Poses For Women To Do At Home Or Work

12. Shalabh Asana

yoga poses for sciatica - shalabh asana

Instructions:

  1. While lying in the similar position as above, put your hands below your thighs.
  2. Inhale and raise the right leg without bending your knee.
  3. The chin should be touching your floor. Hold for about 10 seconds.
  4. Exhale and return to the initial position.
  5. Repeat with your other leg. Perform at least five rounds of this asana.
  6. You had better perform Shalabh Asana with both your legs together once sciatica subsides. You should take care not to overdo the exercises.

13. The Standing Back Twist

yoga poses for sciatica - the standing back twist

Instructions:

  1. Place your foot up on one chair, and put the outside of the opposite hand on the raised knee (right hand to the left knee or left hand to the right knee).
  2. Then, place the other hand on the hip.
  3. Now turning the upper body while holding the hips facing forward, and hold this position for 30 seconds, then switch.
  4. Don’t push past where you’re not comfortable.

14. The Knee Raise

yoga poses for sciatica - the knee raise

Instructions:

  1. First of all, lying on the back draw a knee to the chest, keeping your other leg straight.
  2. Then, push down with the knee together with pull up with the hands.
  3. Keep the shoulders on the floor.

15. The Two Knee Twist

yoga poses for sciatica - the two knee twist

Instructions:

  1. Lie on your back. Next splay the arms to create a capital “T”.
  2. Keeping the shoulders on the floor, and then turn the knees out to one side.
  3. Keep the shoulders on the floor.
  4. Hold this position for one minute, then alternate sides.

16. The Single Knee Twist

yoga poses for sciatica - the single knee twist

Instructions:

  1. You need to lie on your back. Now, keeping a leg straight, bend a knee to a 90° angle, put your opposite hand on this knee.
  2. Turn to face your arm still on your floor. Keep both your shoulders against the floor.

17. The Twisted Lunge

yoga poses for sciatica - the twisted lunge

Instructions:

  1. Step a leg forward, bend at your knee. Your other leg had better stay out behind you. You try keeping the feet one leg’s length apart.
  2. Turning your back, and put your opposite elbow on the outside of your bent knee. Then bring your palms together.
  3. Hold this position for thirty seconds.

18. The Seated Twist

yoga poses for sciatica - the seated twist

Instructions:

  1. Firstly, sit with the legs straight ahead of you.
  2. Bend on the leg at your knee and put it on the outside of your other knee.
  3. You can curl your leg up or keep it straight, whichever is comfier.
  4. Put a hand flat on your floor behind you, and put the opposite elbow on the outside of the bent knee.
  5. Then, turn to face behind you, maintaining your legs pointing forward.

Learn more: 31 Exercises To Enhance Shoulders Without Weights

19. The Cat Pose

yoga poses for sciatica - the cat pose

This is also one of the easiest yoga poses for sciatica.

Instructions:

  1. Get on your hands plus knees.
  2. Bend the back down and raise the chest by pulling the shoulders back.
  3. Breathe and hold for 10 seconds. Then, return to one flat back, and now tuck the chin into the chest and raise the back.
  4. Hold for 10 seconds and release.
  5. Do this for one minute or two.

Learn more: 30 Best Workouts For Shoulder Pain Relief

20. Child’s Pose

yoga poses for sciatica - child’s pose

Instructions:

  1. Get down on your knees and hands, the rock the seat back onto the heels, leaving the hands on the floor ahead of you.
  2. Hold this position for as long as possible. Do not fall asleep like this, the legs won’t forgive you.

Learn more: 17 Yoga Exercises For High Blood Pressure

If you want to know more about effective yoga poses or exercises, go to our main Fitness page. Hope that this article will help you learn more helpful and easy yoga poses for sciatica. If you have any question or comment, please leave them below, I will respond you as soon as possible. Also you can share your experience if you know any other yoga poses for sciatica to us.

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