Every time I ask for yoga class suggestions, “sciatica” is a topic that comes up over and over. I just filmed a Yoga for Sciatica to go inside the Bad Yogi Studio, but it won’t be out for a while and I wanted to get you a handful of poses you can do in the meantime.
I’d suggest holding each one for about a minute on each side. Since this takes almost no time at all, you can also do this twice per day while you’re in pain.
Enjoy & I hope this helps!
1. Standing Hamstring Stretch
You can prop your foot up on a block or even on something higher if you really need to. Don’t push for maximum flexibility here though! Use caution in your movement and ONLY bend forward as far as you need to in order to feel the hamstring come alive. Tilt from your pelvis, relax your shoulders, and hold 1-minute on each side. 
2. Half Seated Twist
A half twist is better than a full twist (in my opinion) for this purpose. It allows you to really focus on the one hip rather than having too much going on in both hips like you do in a full seated twist. You have more control over the depth of the twist which is important. Again, take your time, and remember you’re not trying to beat any flexibility records here. Look for the stretchy sensation in your outer hip and hold onto that for about 1-minute on each side. 
3. Cow Face Pose
Now that the hips are a little warmer, let’s try Face Pose Pose! I love this one for the outer hips and lower back, and if you have sciatic nerve pain, this is a good one to work into your routine. Hold for 1-minute on each side. 
4. Supine Figure 4
Quite possibly one of my favorite poses for sciatica, but also for literally any other reason, this is a great one. It hits all the right places and is relatively comfortable once you find the hand placement that works for you. You can hold this one for a minute on each side and even longer if you feel you need it. 
Over to you! How do you feel after doing these? The actual flow with these poses and many others to help with sciatica will be inside Bad Yogi Studio soon. And if this wasn’t your jam, you can always browse through the 50+ hours of classes we have inside the BYS to find something that suits you 🙂
