Before You Stretch Your Sciatica, Watch This — Key Takeaways
Sciatica is a symptom of nerve irritation, not a diagnosis, and requires identifying whether your pattern worsens with forward bending or backward bending to choose the correct protocol—guessing wrong makes it worse.
Key takeaways
Hamstring stretches, foam rolling glutes, and pigeon pose worsen sciatica
Hamstring stretches, foam rolling glutes, and pigeon pose worsen sciatica
- Sciatic nerve runs through hamstrings — pulling on a guarded muscle directly stresses an inflamed nerve.
- Foam rolling glutes compresses the nerve against the hip bone; pigeon pose with rounded back loads the spine in flexion.
Two opposite sciatica patterns exist — picking the wrong one makes pain worse
Two opposite sciatica patterns exist — picking the wrong one makes pain worse
- Flexion-intolerant pattern worsens with forward bending; extension-intolerant worsens with backward bending — opposite protocols required.
- Without assessment, any stretch chosen off Instagram carries a 50/50 chance of aggravating the nerve.
Sciatica rehab order: decompress spine first, nerve floss second, open hip third
Sciatica rehab order: decompress spine first, nerve floss second, open hip third
- Wrong sequence yields no results; assessed pattern (extension-based, disc + piriformis) determines which protocol applies.
- Protocol includes cobra press-ups (hips glued to floor, 3–5 sec holds), 90/90 hip lifts, split squats in 3 positions, seated nerve glides, and dead hangs.
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In this video
- 1mSciatica isn't a diagnosis
- 2mThings you need to stop doing today
- 3mMeet Carlos, 22 years BJJ, the injury
- 5mHow it actually happened
- 6mTraining smart at 40
- 9mAssessment, finding the pattern
- 12mThe verdict, extension-based with piriformis overlay
- 14mProtocol 1, decompress the spine
- 15mProtocol 2, open the hip (90/90)
- 19mProtocol 3, floss the nerve
- 21mThe bounce protocol
- 25mThe 50-bounce set
- 30mCarlos's full homework
- 33mPain isn't a stop sign
“Sciatica isn't a diagnosis. It's a symptom. That is the first thing that nobody tells you. Every stretch you do is a guess.”
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