What Stretches Should I Avoid With Sciatica? – San Diego, CA

If you have sciatica, you've probably been told that you need to stretch.

You may have been given hamstring stretches, a figure-four stretch, a knee-to-chest stretch or a sheet of exercises to do at home.

But before doing any stretch for sciatica, there's a question I think you should ask:

How was this particular stretch determined to be appropriate for my condition?

I recently had a patient come into our San Diego office carrying a sheet of stretches she'd been given by another provider. She wanted to know whether I thought she should be doing them.

My concern wasn't that stretching is always bad.

It isn't.

The problem was that the stretches weren't based on what was actually causing her sciatica. They were primarily based on where she said she felt tight or uncomfortable.

Those aren't necessarily the same thing.

If your sciatica is related to an irritated or compressed nerve root from a lumbar disc problem, repeatedly stretching the area may not address the reason you're having symptoms in the first place. In some situations, it can aggravate them.

That's why I don't believe everyone with sciatica should automatically be doing the same stretches.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “My Sciatica Is Gone, and I No Longer Have Back Pain”

“For the first time in 10 years, I am completely pain-free. My sciatca is gone, and I no longer have back pain.

Before finding Dr. Boelk, I tried chiropractic care, acupuncture, pain medications, and several other therapies that simply didn't work. I was one step away from back surgery when I discovered spinal decompression treatment at The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego.

The results have been incredible. Every visit was comfortable, relaxing, and completely pain-free. Dr. Boelk and Patty always took the time to explain everything and made me feel genuinely cared for throughout the process.

They are warm, welcoming, and truly dedicated to helping their patients.

Thank you, Dr. Boelk and Patty!”

— Toni H., San Diego, CA

Toni had been dealing with sciatica for 10 years and had already tried several different approaches before coming to our office.

Her experience doesn't mean everyone with sciatica needs spinal decompression. It does show why I think it's important to understand what is causing the symptoms before continuing to try one generalized treatment after another.

Why Stretching Doesn't Always Help Sciatica

Sciatica isn't simply a tight muscle.

Sciatica describes symptoms involving the sciatic nerve. Depending on what's causing the problem, you may experience:

• Pain into the buttock or leg

• Burning

• Tingling

• Numbness

• Symptoms into the calf, foot or toes

• Weakness in more significant cases

When the problem involves a lumbar disc irritating or compressing a nerve root, stretching the hamstring or buttock doesn't remove that compression.

I often explain it to patients using the example of a rope that's already under tension.

If the nerve is already irritated, pulling harder on the tissues around it isn't automatically going to make it better.

That's why the diagnosis and the patient's response to a movement matter.

What About Hamstring Stretches for Sciatica?

This is one I see frequently.

A patient feels pulling or tightness down the back of the thigh and assumes the hamstring needs to be stretched.

Sometimes it does.

But sometimes what feels like a tight hamstring is related to neural tension from an irritated nerve.

Those are not the same problem.

If you repeatedly stretch because the back of your leg feels tight, but every time you do it the pain, burning, numbness or tingling travels farther down the leg, I would not ignore that response.

I would want to know why it's happening.

What About the Figure-Four Stretch?

The figure-four stretch is another common recommendation for someone with buttock pain or sciatica.

Again, I'm not saying the figure-four stretch is a bad exercise.

I'm saying it shouldn't automatically be prescribed to everyone with sciatica.

If your problem is primarily muscular and the movement is appropriate for you, that's one situation.

If your symptoms are coming from a lumbar disc problem with nerve-root irritation, that's a different situation.

The treatment should fit the problem.

Be Careful With “It Feels Good When I Stretch”

This can be confusing.

A movement can feel good while you're doing it and still not be helping the underlying problem.

I see this particularly with patients who like bending forward and stretching because they feel a temporary release through their lower back, glutes or hamstrings.

That temporary relief doesn't necessarily tell us what the movement is doing to an injured disc or irritated nerve.

Instead, I want to know what happens afterward.

Pay attention to:

• Does the leg pain stay the same?

• Does it decrease?

• Does it travel farther down the leg?

• Does numbness or tingling increase?

• Are you better 30 minutes later?

• Are you worse later that evening or the following morning?

The response matters more than simply saying, “That stretch feels good.”

A Simple Rule I Give Patients

When we're deciding which home movements may be appropriate, I generally want the movement to leave you neutral or better.

I don't want you repeatedly performing something that causes your neurological symptoms to travel farther down your leg.

For example, if your pain normally stops around the buttock but a stretch repeatedly sends pain or tingling into your calf or foot, I would stop and have that evaluated rather than continuing because you were told stretching is good for sciatica.

Your exercises should be specific to you.

Ideally, someone should evaluate the movement, watch how you perform it and see how your symptoms respond.

What Should You Do Instead of Just Stretching?

The first step is figuring out why you have sciatica.

That may include looking at:

• How the problem started

• Where the symptoms travel

• What positions make you better or worse

• How long you can sit, stand and walk

• Whether you have numbness, tingling or weakness

• Which movements centralize or worsen your symptoms

• What treatment or exercises you've already tried

• Your examination findings

• Your MRI when appropriate

If you've already been given exercises, bring them with you.

I would much rather look at what you're actually doing and determine whether it makes sense for your particular condition than simply hand you another generic sheet of exercises.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I Can Walk, Run and Exercise Without Any Pain”

“I have been seeing Dr. Boelk since November for my back pain due to disc herniation. I lost mobility and had difficulty even putting shoes on. The pain was interfering with my everyday lifestyle. After reviewing the X-ray results, we agreed upon a treatment plan. Agreeing to this treatment plan was the best choice I've made for my back pain. The spinal decompression has relieved all the pain I felt in my lower back. I can walk, run and exercise without any pain and I'm able to get back in the gym and continue my daily routines. The office staff are very friendly and caring as well. I highly recommend Dr. Boelk's office to anyone seeking exceptional care.”

— Paul C

Paul's disc problem had affected something as basic as putting on his shoes.

His goal wasn't to become better at stretching. It was to get back to normal life.

He later described being able to walk, run, exercise and return to the gym without pain.

That's ultimately what I'm interested in—whether what we're doing is helping you function better.

Could a Herniated Disc Be Causing Your Sciatica?

It can.

Some of the conditions I commonly evaluate in patients with sciatica include:

• Lumbar disc bulges

• Lumbar disc herniations

• L4-L5 disc injuries

• L5-S1 disc injuries

• Degenerative disc disease

• Foraminal narrowing

• Disc-related nerve-root compression

• Selected cases of spinal stenosis

This doesn't mean that everyone with one of these conditions needs treatment.

It also doesn't mean that everyone with sciatica is a candidate for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression.

That's why the evaluation comes first.

More Than 22 Years Working With Disc Injuries and Sciatica

I'm Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC, Clinic Director of The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego.

For more than 22 years, a major focus of my practice has been evaluating and treating patients with disc injuries, sciatica and chronic neck and lower-back problems.

My professional background includes:

• Doctor of Chiropractic

• Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor

• Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist (PPSC)

• More than 100,000 spinal decompression treatments performed

• Founder, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Training Academy

• Trainer of other doctors in Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression protocols and techniques

• Founding Member, American Spinal Decompression Society

• Member, International Disc Education Association

• California X-Ray Radiation Supervisor & Operator

Our San Diego clinic has seven spinal decompression systems and uses the DRX9000 exclusively for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression.

I also understand spinal injury personally. I suffered an L5 compression fracture at age 16 and later dealt with disc injuries and sciatica myself. I've spent thousands of hours working on my own neck and lower-back injuries in addition to treating patients with many of the same problems.

That experience is one of the reasons I don't believe in giving every patient with sciatica the same treatment or the same sheet of exercises.

Not Everyone With Sciatica Is a Candidate for Spinal Decompression

This is important.

Having sciatica doesn't automatically mean I will recommend Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression.

Sometimes another approach makes more sense, and sometimes the appropriate recommendation is a surgical consultation.

★ “We Both Determined That Surgery Was My Only Option”

“I found this terrific practice on social media. I followed up and did my own research so I decided to pay them a visit. The place is clean, well organized and run by a very efficient receptionist. I met with the doctor and after a honest and forthright conversation, we both determined that surgery was my only option to correct my back issues. I will return as a customer when the time is right.”

— Jeff J., Tucson, AZ

Jeff traveled from Tucson looking for another option.

After reviewing his situation, we determined that spinal decompression wasn't appropriate and that surgery was the direction he needed to pursue.

That's why I believe the evaluation should determine the treatment—not the other way around.

No-Charge Consultation With Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC

If you've been given stretches or exercises for sciatica and you're not sure they're helping—or you're actually getting worse—bring them with you.

At The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego, I offer a limited number of No-Charge, No-Obligation Consultations.

During the consultation, we'll discuss:

• Where your sciatica travels

• What makes it better or worse

• Which stretches or exercises you're currently doing

• How you respond to those movements

• What treatment you've already tried

• How long you can sit, stand and walk

• Whether you've noticed numbness, tingling or weakness

• Your MRI images and report if you have them

• Whether further evaluation is appropriate

• Whether I believe Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be an option

No MRI yet? That's okay. You can still schedule the consultation.

The purpose isn't to convince you to start treatment.

It's to determine what's going on and whether I believe I may be able to help you.

If I believe you're a potential candidate, I'll explain why.

If I don't, I'll tell you.

Because I personally perform these consultations while continuing to care for our existing patients, only a limited number can be accommodated in our schedule.

Call 619-298-0800 and ask about the next available No-Charge Consultation with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC.

The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego
5095 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92123

619-298-0800
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