Free printable handout · PDF
Sciatica Exercises: Free Printable PDF Handout
Talk to your doctor first. General education, not medical advice.This content is general education, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Get approval from your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before starting any exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition, a recent injury or surgery, are pregnant, or take medication. Stop and seek medical advice if an exercise causes pain, dizziness, chest discomfort or shortness of breath. You choose to exercise at your own risk. Read the full medical disclaimer.
A two-page home exercise sheet: 14 exercises in 4 phases. Every exercise has a video on this page. Print it, save it to your phone, or share it. No signup needed.
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- Pelvic Tilts
- Child’s Pose for Low Back Release
- Diaphragmatic Breathing for Pain Relief
- Angry Cat & Cow Spine Mobility
- Seated Knee-to-Chest Stretch
- Spinal Twist for Lumbar Mobility
- Sciatic Nerve Glide
- Bridge Pose for Glute Activation
- Core Strength & Back Pain Prevention
- Pilates for Chronic Back Pain
- Bird Dog Exercise
- Yoga for Lower Back Pain
- Clamshells for Glute Medius
- Invigorating Yoga Practice
- Sets, reps and holds explained
- Pain guide with room for your limit
- Clinician notes and a 6-week tracker
What you’ll need Paid links
Most of this handout needs only a chair, a wall and some floor space. Some exercises use these items. Household swaps are listed where they work.
- Exercise mat · Non-slip, about 6 mm (1/4 in) thick, for floor exercises. A rug or folded blanket works.
Which exercises use each item, and what to look for: equipment guide.
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Watch each exercise
Start with Phase 1. Move to the next phase when the current exercises feel comfortable. Tap any exercise for step-by-step instructions.
Phase 1 starts here: Pelvic Tilts. Video embedded from its original publisher.
Phase 1 — Acute Pain Management
- Pelvic TiltsUsual start: 2–3 × 10–12, holding each tilt 5–10 secVideo + steps →
- Child’s Pose for Low Back ReleaseUsual start: Hold for 1–2 min, breathing slowlyVideo + steps →
- Diaphragmatic Breathing for Pain ReliefUsual start: 5–10 min, 2–3 times a day, and during pain flaresVideo + steps →
Phase 2 — Mobility & Nerve Gliding
- Angry Cat & Cow Spine MobilityUsual start: 2 × 10 slow cycles, once or twice a dayVideo + steps →
- Seated Knee-to-Chest StretchUsual start: 3 holds of 30 sec each sideVideo + steps →
- Spinal Twist for Lumbar MobilityUsual start: 3 holds of 30 sec each sideVideo + steps →
- Sciatic Nerve GlideUsual start: 2–3 × 10 slow repsVideo + steps →
Phase 3 — Core Stabilization
- Bridge Pose for Glute ActivationUsual start: 2–3 × 10–12, holding the top for 3 secVideo + steps →
- Core Strength & Back Pain PreventionUsual start: Follow along, 2–3 times a weekVideo + steps →
- Pilates for Chronic Back PainUsual start: Follow along 2–3 times a weekVideo + steps →
- Bird Dog ExerciseUsual start: 2–3 × 8–10 each sideVideo + steps →
Phase 4 — Functional Recovery
- Yoga for Lower Back PainUsual start: Follow along, 2–3 times a weekVideo + steps →
- Clamshells for Glute MediusUsual start: 3 × 15 each sideVideo + steps →
- Invigorating Yoga PracticeUsual start: Follow along, ~20 min, 2–3 times a weekVideo + steps →
Day-by-day plan
6-week low back pain plan →
Gentle, gradual sessions with a free tracker. Get checked if leg symptoms spread or worsen.
How much and how often
If a physical therapist, chiropractor or doctor gave you this sheet, follow the amounts they wrote in the boxes. If a box is blank, the usual start under each exercise above is a typical starting amount for most people, not a prescription for you. Start at the low end and build up slowly.
- Rep: one movement. Set: a group of reps in a row, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between sets. 2 × 10 means 2 sets of 10 reps; 3 × 30 sec means 3 holds of 30 seconds.
- Stretches: hold 20 to 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times, most days. A gentle pull, never sharp pain.
- Strength: 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 slow reps, 2 to 3 days a week with a rest day between. The last 2 or 3 reps should feel like work while you keep good form.
- Balance: a few minutes most days, next to a counter or sturdy chair.
- Follow-along videos: 2 to 3 times a week to start. Skip any part that hurts and do the rest.
How much discomfort is OK? Some discomfort is common. On a 0 to 10 scale, pain up to about 3 to 5 that settles by the next morning is often acceptable, or use the limit your clinician gives you. If pain goes above that, is worse the next morning, or builds from week to week, do less next time.
When to do more: after a full week at your current amount stays inside your pain limit, add a little, one thing at a time: a few more reps, then another set, then the next phase. If you miss a few days, restart a step lower.
Stop and contact your clinician if you have sharp or severe pain, pain that keeps getting worse, new numbness, tingling or weakness, new swelling, dizziness or a fall. For chest pain or trouble breathing, stop and call 911.
Page 2 of the PDF has this guide, a box for your pain limit, notes from your clinician and a 6-week tick tracker.
For clinicians
You’re welcome to print this sheet and hand it to patients at no cost. Page 1 has a tick box to choose which exercises to do and blank boxes for sets, reps or hold, times a day and days a week for each one. Page 2 explains sets, reps and how often in plain language, with space for the patient’s pain limit, your notes and a next check-in date. Prefer to send it digitally with your own doses? Build a program in the free clinician portal. See also resources for providers.
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Educational use only. Not a substitute for medical advice. Videos are embedded from their original publishers and remain the property of those publishers.