Yoga for Sciatic Pain

My journey to yoga evolved because of several factors. First, my husband was transferred with his job from Houston to rural Northern NJ. My life transformed overnight. In Houston we lived in the city where I worked full time as a Special Education teacher. Our new home in NJ was rural and I stayed home with my boys. The adjustment to these changes was huge. The second factor leading me to yoga was sciatic pain. Struggling with the move and in tremendous pain I turned to yoga.

I did yoga during the boys nap time and researched yoga for sciatic pain. Eventually this led me to a yoga teacher training program and free of sciatic pain.

Throughout my teacher training my instructor Mike asked me every week, “how is your hip” I’d answer, “it’s the same, my leg is still numb” until one day I realized it was gone. Years later I still love the hip opening poses and incorporated them into classes and my own daily practice

The following four poses helped ease my sciatic pain. In addition to relieving sciatic pain, these poses help with the following:

King Pigeon

Stretches the thighs, groins and psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck
Stimulates the abdominal organs
Opens the shoulders and chest


Cow Face Legs Only

Stretches the ankles, hips and thighs, shoulders, armpits and triceps, and chest

Downward Facing Dog

Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Energizes the body
Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands
Strengthens the arms and legs
Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head supported
Helps prevent osteoporosis
Improves digestion
Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue
Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis