Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg, and can also be in just one leg.

Here are two movements that can help strengthen the muscles that are important for stability and strength, such as your bilateral hips/gluteals and abdominals.

Bridging Exercise

Lay flat on your back and lift your hips in the air, engaging your abdominals and your buttocks. Hold for 5 seconds and relax. Repeat this movement 10 to 12 times.

This helps to strengthen your core, buttocks, hamstrings and also helps promote hip stabilization. A bridge should never be painful in your low back, if it is, make sure your abdominals are engaged and if it remains painful, please stop the exercise.

Prone Leg Extension

Lay flat on your stomach with your arms in a comfortable position. Start the exercise by tightening up your gluteals, then, keeping your leg/knee straight, lift one leg at a time about an inch off the ground. Hold for 5 seconds on each leg and complete 10 to 12 reps for each leg. Make sure your hips stay flat and you do not roll or arch your low back.

This helps by strengthening your gluteals, which often times can be weak.

If this exercise causes increased numbness/tingling down your legs or increases low back pain, please stop the activity.