Introduction
Hi, I’m Dr. Chris Oswald. I’m a practicing chiropractor and the founder of Muscle Care. I see 55,000 patient visits a year in my practice. We understand pain. If any of your friends or family suffer from sciatica, please give them this mini-series of stretches; it will help dramatically.
Stretch Routine
- Torso Stretch
- Stand with hips under shoulders, ears over shoulders.
- Hold your hips and twist the spine and neck all the way up to the top in rotation to the left.
- Do not move your hips.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- For more stretch, turn your pelvis further to one side.
- Repeat on both sides.
- Side of Spine Stretch
- Open your legs wider than shoulder width for stability.
- Place your left hand on the left side of your lateral left leg or hip.
- Raise your right arm straight up in the air.
- Lean to the left side so your right arm points to the left and remains straight.
- Repeat on both sides.
- Front of Leg (Quadricep) Stretch
- Stand holding a wall with your right hand.
- Pull your left heel up to your buttock and grab the front of the ankle with your left hand.
- Hold your foot and heel as close to your buttock as possible.
- Repeat on both sides.
- Hip Flexor Stretch
- From the quadricep stretch position, keep your right hand on a chair for support.
- Pull your left leg back so the left thigh is closer to parallel to the ground.
- Hinge at your waist and move forward, creating a “T” shape with your body.
- Right leg is on the ground (bottom of the “T”), and your torso and left thigh create the top of the “T”).
- Repeat on both sides.
- Hamstring Stretch
- Place your right foot up on a chair with the leg perfectly straight.
- Do not bend the leg; keep it straight to stretch the connective tissue in the back of the knee.
- Hinge at the waist and lean your body forward without rounding the shoulders or neck.
- Put more stress on the hamstring to stretch.
- Repeat on both sides.
- Figure Four (Lower Buttock) Stretch
- Lie flat on your back with knees bent at 90°, feet flat on the floor.
- Keep the right foot flat and lift the left knee up.
- Move the back of the left ankle over the top of the right knee to create a figure four.
- Reach your hands through the space between the legs and pull the right knee up.
- Hold behind the hamstring closer to the knee, not on top of the knee.
- Repeat on both sides.
- Pelvic Tilt
- Lie flat on your back, bend the knees, and keep feet flat on the floor.
- Arms down by your sides, palms on the ground.
- Lift the pelvis off the ground to create a straight line between knees, thighs, and body.
- Hold for 5-10 seconds (up to 20-30 seconds as you improve).
- Relax and flatten down.
- V-Sit Stretch
- Sit with your torso at 90° to your legs, both legs straight out in front.
- Spread legs out to a “V” shape.
- Lean your palms onto the floor and glide out between the legs, hinging at the waist.
- Stretch the inside groin muscles and hamstrings.
- Full Body Stretch
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, pelvis square.
- Shoulders over pelvis, ears over shoulders.
- Raise arms straight up to the sides of your ears.
- Reach up, deep breathe, and if desired, go up on tippy toes to reach the sky.
Conclusion
You should be feeling better. Continue your pain-free journey by accessing my full stretching series and sharing the relief of pain and stress with friends and family. For even more relief, try Muscle Care, our all-natural, evidence-based
