Sciatica

Dealing with sciatic pain

Keep moving

Staying active is one of the most effective ways to treat sciatica. Most people improve by gently moving, building confidence, and finding an activity that works for them. There’s no single “best” exercise, so feel free to try different things. Choose activities you enjoy and feel comfortable starting with.

Things that can help:

• regular short walks. Little and often is usually better than one long walk
• over the counter pain relief if needed to help you move normally. See your pharmacist or GP practice for medication advice if needed
• keep doing your day-to-day activities as much as possible including staying in work if safe to do so
• exercising within your limits. much as your symptoms enable. A little pain is ok, it doesn’t mean you’re harming your back or nerves
• staying active long-term in ways that help keep your body strong and at a healthy weight

Remember that pain during movement doesn’t mean damage. It’s normal to feel sore as things begin to improve. If you aren’t feeling better after a couple of weeks, or your pain is severe, talk to a GP.  

Posture

There is no clear link between posture and sciatic pains. We often change our posture when in pain and this is entirely natural. 

The key is to keep moving in a relaxed, natural way rather than getting stuck in habits that make you stiff and tense. Movement, variety, and reducing fear around using your back are more important for recovery.  

• listen to your body but be aware that mild pain from getting active is the norm 
• try not to brace or hold yourself stiff before or during movement. This will help you stay relaxed 
• if sitting or standing upright increases your leg pain, ease into it gradually as the pain settles
• Don’t worry about finding a “perfect” posture — change your position often. Your best posture is your next posture.

Lifting

When in moderate to severe pains, it is normal to find lifting a challenge. Lifting is entirely safe and not a cause of structural concern.  

Try to return to normal activities, including lifting, as soon as your pains allow.  

If you have to do lots of lifting at home or at work, consider if you are generally fit enough to do this or not. If you have done this work for a long time, you have likely built up the fitness to do it.  Changing the method of lifting is not the key and we know we can give people more back pain if we focus on unnatural lifting techniques. Instead, consider how to build back up to this in a gradual manner. 

You don’t need to avoid lifting completely when you have sciatica. Lifting is safe, and getting back to normal activities can help your recovery.  These tips could help:

• start with lighter items and see how your back and leg feel. Gradually increase as things improve
• you don’t need a ‘perfect posture’ or special technique. Just avoid bracing or holding yourself stiff 
• relaxed movement is more efficient and more comfortable
• a quick stretch, walk, or position change helps prevent tension, stiffness and irritation.
• a little back discomfort is normal, but if your leg pain suddenly spikes, lower the weight or take a break

Sciatica and your relationships

Sciatica can affect your relationships in several ways, mostly because it can impact your mood, energy, and ability to participate in everyday activities.

If you have a partner: You might feel irritated or low because of pain or lack of sleep, which can affect communication. Physical intimacy might be difficult if certain positions or movements increase pain. You may rely more on your partner for practical help (such as lifting, housework, gardening, driving, shopping), which can change the usual dynamic at home.

What can help:

• talk openly about how you’re feeling
• share small tasks and plan activities that don’t worsen your pain
• consider gentle shared activities, like short walks, that keep connection without strain

If you care for children: Sciatica can make it harder to lift or play with young children and you might feel guilty or frustrated if you can’t keep up with them.

What can help:

• focus on activities that don’t make your pain worse for example, sitting play, board games, or gentle outdoor activities
• explain simply to older children what you can and can’t do at the moment, so they understand
• let them  help in small ways where they can it can boost confidence for both you and them

With friends and wider family: Pain and limited mobility may make it harder to join social activities, like sports, outings, or walks. You might feel isolated or frustrated if you have to cancel plans. You may be worried that your friends don’t  fully understand what you’re going through, which can cause stress or awkwardness.

What can help:

• be honest about what you can do at the moment. Suggest alternative ways to meet, like coffee, board games, or short walks
• plan activities in advance that suit your energy levels 
• stay connected in small ways. Texts, phone or video calls can keep friendships strong when physical activity is limited
• friends often want to help, even with simple things like driving or carrying heavy items, so ask for support if needed in the short term

With colleagues if in work: Sciatica can reduce your energy, focus, and productivity, especially if you’re sitting or standing for long periods. You may need to adjust your workload or take breaks more often to enable you to stay in your job. 

What can help:

• be open (as much as you’re comfortable) about your needs for example, taking short walks or stretching breaks
• if you work in an office, make sure you have a comfortable workspace set up.
• plan tasks in a way that allows movement and avoids staying in the same position for a long time

Hands on treatments

There is lots of evidence to show that massage and mobilisation treatments do offer pain relief but this is short lived and should only be used as an adjunct.  It should not be the only treatment method us

What about persisting pain?

Some people do experience pains that last for far longer than they would expect and this can be very hard to understand and manage. If you have sciatica that is not settling within 6 weeks then do consider seeing a healthcare professional for specific assessment and guidance. For lots of information and support about persisting pains that have continued for many months, please see our persistent pain pages. If you have not seen a healthcare professional though, please explore that first.