How to Sciatic Nerve Floss

What is nerve flossing?

Nerve flossing, also known as nerve sliding, is an approach to treating nerve related pain. The idea is you pull the nerve from one end, then the other. The idea is by pulling it one way, then the other, you move the trapped part to where it can get blood supply and heal, allowing it to start working normally again. Because you only pull one end at a time you don't create added nerve tension as you move it (Coppieters & Butler, 2008). Pulling from both ends at the same time creates tension, which can be sore!

The nerve flossing technique can be helpful for the nerves in the legs and the nerves in the arms. There is good evidence showing nerve flossing reduces pain and disability for nerve related lower back pain (which usually causes leg symptoms) (Basson et al., 2017).

This post will focus on showing how to floss the most common nerve that benefits from flossing in the legs - the sciatic nerve.

Sciatic Nerve Flossing

The videos below are from Cornelson et al., 2018, demonstrating the nerve flossing techniques used to help treat someone living with adhesive arachnoiditis. These videos are a great demonstration of how to floss the sciatic nerve effectively.

Sciatic nerve glides

Self Sciatic Nerve Floss - Seated

Assisted Sciatic Nerve Floss - Lying

The assisted lying down nerve flosses in the second video can also be performed on your own, using the waistband from a dressing gown or something similar looped around the foot, rather than the second pair of hands.

References

Basson, A., Olivier, B., Ellis, R., Coppieters, M., Stewart, A., & Mudzi, W. (2017). The Effectiveness of Neural Mobilization for Neuromusculoskeletal Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, 47(9), 593–615. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.7117

Coppieters, M. W., & Butler, D. S. (2008). Do 'sliders' slide and 'tensioners' tension? An analysis of neurodynamic techniques and considerations regarding their application. Manual therapy, 13(3), 213–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2006.12.008

Cornelson, S. M., Johnnie, E. D., & Kettner, N. W. (2018). Neural Mobilization in a 54-Year-Old Woman With Postoperative Spinal Adhesive Arachnoiditis. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 17(4), 283–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2018.07.004