Nerve Flossing for Sciatica: 5 Exercises for Pain Relief

Flossing might not be at the top of your list of treatments for sciatica. But nerve flossing may help ease your symptoms. It’s a stretching technique that mobilizes nerves. These stretching exercises can help relieve nerve compression and reduce pain from an irritated or pinched nerve. 

Nerve flossing targets long nerves that extend from the spine to the arms or legs. It can be used to treat conditions such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, and cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve). Nerve flossing for sciatica involves moving and stretching your lower back, legs, and ankles. Here's what you need to know. 

Is nerve flossing good for sciatica? 

Flosses and stretches for the sciatic nerve are some of the best exercises for sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It travels from the spine, down the back of the leg, and into the foot. Nerve flossing exercises stretch the sciatic nerve at different points along its path. 

Sciatic nerve flossing frees up the nerve, allowing it to glide when your joints and muscles move. That's why the exercises are also called sciatic nerve glides. Freeing up the nerve helps reduce sciatic nerve compression that causes pain and tingling in the lower back and leg.

But ease into nerve flossing for sciatica. And don't overdo it. Too much tension or stretching along a nerve can be harmful and cause more irritation. You should feel tension or a pulling sensation but not a significant increase in pain.

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What are the best neural gliding exercises for sciatica? 

Nerve flossing, or neural gliding, can be performed in various ways. Some variations can stretch just one point along the nerve, while others place maximal stretch along the entire nerve.

1. Seated sciatic nerve floss

This sciatic nerve gliding exercise alternates stretching and releasing the sciatic nerve. This allows for better mobility of the nerve as tension is applied along the very top and bottom of its path.

• Step 1: Sit upright in a chair with both feet flat on the floor.

• Step 2: Extend one leg out to fully straighten your knee. Keep your ankle, knee, and hip at the same level.

• Step 3: At the same time, point your foot away from you as you bend your head down to bring your chin to your chest. Keep your knee extended the entire time.

• Step 4: Now, reverse both of these motions. Flex your foot up toward you as you extend your head up toward the ceiling. Keep your knee extended the entire time.

• Step 5: Alternate through Step 3 and Step 4, moving your foot and head together at the same time. Repeat 20 times in each direction.

2. Slump stretch

This move is similar to the last one, but it applies maximal stretch across the entire sciatic nerve. This variation is called the slump stretch since you will be sitting in a slumped-over position.

• Step 1: Sit upright in a chair with both feet flat on the floor.

• Step 2: Extend one leg out to fully straighten your knee. Keep your ankle, knee, and hip at the same level.

• Step 3: Keeping your knee extended, flex your foot up toward you.

• Step 4: Bend your head down to bring your chin to your chest.

• Step 5: Round your body forward to move into a slumped position.

• Step 6: Hold this position for 5 seconds, then relax and return to the starting position.

• Step 7: Repeat 20 times.

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3. Straight leg raise sciatic nerve stretch

This move stretches the sciatic nerve at all points along its path from the low back to the ankle.

Studies suggest that this technique, like the slump stretch, can help reduce pain and improve function.

• Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.

• Step 2: Extend one leg out to fully straighten your knee and flex your foot up toward your shin.

• Step 3: Keeping your knee extended and ankle flexed, lift your leg up as high as you can until you feel a stretch behind the back of your leg.

• Step 4: Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Then, relax your leg back down to the starting position.

• Step 5: Repeat 20 times.

4. Knee-to-chest sciatic nerve floss

This sciatic nerve floss variation helps move the sciatic nerve throughout the lower leg. Because your back will stay flat, this exercise places less tension on the entire nerve. This can be a more comfortable option if the other variations apply too much tension.

• Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.

• Step 2: Lift one leg to bring your knee closer to your chest. Grab behind your thigh with both hands.

• Step 3: While holding your thigh, straighten your knee as much as you can to bring your foot up toward the ceiling.

• Step 4: With your leg extended, flex your foot up toward your shin.

• Step 5: Hold this position for 5 seconds, then relax and return to the starting position.

• Step 6: Repeat 20 times.

5. Standing sciatic nerve floss

Like the seated version, this technique stretches and releases the sciatic nerve at different points along its path. This helps reduce tension and allows the nerve to glide smoothly. 

• Step 1: Stand in front of a step. 

• Step 2: Place your heel on the step. Straighten your knee to keep your leg straight and lean forward. 

• Step 3: At the same time, point your foot away from you as you bend your head down to bring your chin to your chest. Keep your knee extended the entire time.

• Step 4: Now, reverse both of these motions. Flex your foot up toward you as you extend your head up toward the ceiling. Keep your knee extended the entire time.

• Step 5: Alternate through Step 3 and Step 4, moving your foot and head together at the same time. Repeat 20 times in each direction.

How often should you do nerve flossing for sciatica? 

For best results, do sciatic nerve flossing every day. Regular stretching can provide lasting relief for sciatic nerve compression and pain. If you still have pain after 6 weeks, talk with your healthcare professional. 

Even though sciatic nerve flossing can help reduce nerve irritation, it may not be enough to fix the root of the issue. Conditions that affect the low back, such as herniated discs or spinal stenosis, can compress the sciatic nerve at its origin in the low back. If you don’t treat these conditions properly, sciatic nerve irritation and pain can continue, even with daily nerve flossing. 

Sometimes physical therapy and targeted exercises can provide lasting relief from sciatica. In more chronic cases, injections or surgery may be needed to relieve sciatic nerve compression.  

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT

Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT, practices outpatient rehabilitation focusing on orthopedic injuries and post-operative recovery.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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