12-Minute Maintenance Routine
For when sciatica has resolved and you want to keep it gone. Daily mobility plus mixed-direction movement to reduce recurrence.
Best for: No current pain, building a daily routine. Daily is more important than long.
The centralisation principle in this routine
For when sciatica has resolved. Mixes both directions plus nerve glides. The aim is reducing recurrence by maintaining piriformis length, neural mobility, and extension tolerance. Daily 12 minutes is more protective than weekly 60-minute sessions.
What you'll do
- 01
Decompression to start
- 02Seated Figure-4 Stretch45s each side
Maintain piriformis length
- 03Supine Piriformis Stretch45s each side
Alternate variation for deep external rotators
- 04Knee-to-Opposite-Shoulder Stretch45s each side
Pattern-variation of piriformis stretch
- 05Hamstring Nerve Glide (Slumped)30s each side
Maintain neural mobility
- 06
10 reps, gentle range. Counters daily flexion.
- 07Sciatic Nerve Flosspulse30s each side
Final glide. PULSE, not hold.
How the timer works
When you hit start, the timer reads out each step. Three-second get-ready, the hold (with a ten-second warning), five-second rest, then onto the next move. Voice can be muted from the top right. The nerve floss is flagged in the timer as a pulse (do not hold the end position).
If pain shoots further down your leg, stop. That is peripheralisation, which signals nerve root irritation rather than therapeutic stretch. Switch to the acute flare routine and see a physiotherapist if it persists past 48 hours.