Simple Exercises Help You Recover from Sciatica Faster

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 27 November 2025

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sciatica pain stems from irritation of your sciatic nerve, the long nerve running from your lower back to your foot, and causes sharp pain, numbness, or tingling that makes even simple movements difficult
Movement — not rest — is the key to recovery, because gentle activity increases blood flow, reduces inflammation, and helps the nerve heal faster
Short walks, swimming, and simple stretches like knee-to-chest or the cobra pose relieve pressure on the nerve and prevent stiffness during flare-ups
Daily habits such as limiting sitting time, improving posture, strengthening your core, and supporting your spine during sleep help stop sciatica from returning
Most people recover within weeks when they stay active, use heat and cold strategically, and build strength in their hips and core to protect their lower back

Transcript

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0:00.0	Ever felt a bolt of pain shoot from your lower back down your leg and wondered if moving will make it worse or better.
0:07.4	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:10.3	Stay informed with quick, easy to listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go.
0:15.7	No reading required.
0:17.0	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:20.7	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:24.6	I'm Ethan Foster.
0:25.6	Today we're zeroing in on sciatica.
0:28.6	What it is, why rest isn't the answer, and which simple movements and daily habits
0:33.6	help you recover faster and keep flare-ups from returning.
0:36.6	I'm here to guide the discussion and make sure you leave with clear practical steps.
0:41.3	I'm Alara Skye. You're going to hear straightforward guidance grounded in what helps most people when the sciatic nerve gets irritated.
0:48.3	We'll break down when to move, how to use cold and heat, the safest early exercises, and the daily habits that protect
0:56.2	your spine long term.
0:58.7	Sciatica is irritation of your sciatic nerve, the large nerve running from your lower back
1:03.5	toward your foot. You know it by the radiating pain, tingling, or numbness that travels down
1:09.0	one leg, often below the knee. It shows up most often in
1:12.4	midlife, and it can make standing, sitting, and sleep feel harder than they should. Movement is the key
1:18.4	to recovery. When you stop moving, tissues around the nerve tighten and inflammation lingers.
1:25.2	Gentle activity increases blood flow along the nerve pathway and helps the irritation settle.
1:31.3	That means you aim to move through tolerable discomfort instead of waiting for perfect comfort before you begin.
1:37.3	Early on, keep it light.
	...

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