{"title":"Tools","description":"\u003cp\u003eEvery tool here exists to solve one limited, stated problem — and each product page tells you plainly when it is \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e the right thing to buy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNone of them treats a nerve. What they do is make a particular kind of self-management easier to carry out, and easier to evaluate.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"hip-piriformis-mobility-tool-prostretch-z","title":"Hip \u0026 Piriformis Mobility Tool — ProStretch Z","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"shqp\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"shqp-lead\"\u003eThe ProStretch Z gives you \u003cstrong\u003eleverage\u003c\/strong\u003e. That is the whole idea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat this tool is actually for\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeep hip rotator and glute positions are difficult to hold on your own. You run out of hand and arm strength, or you end up twisting through your back just to get into the position — which rather defeats the purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Z's offset shape lets you apply and control that position while seated or lying down, using leverage instead of flexibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shqp-job\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"l\"\u003eThe honest job\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt makes a specific hip position easier to get into, control, and hold. That is the entire claim.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhen this is \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e the right tool\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shqp-not\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"l\"\u003eRead this before you buy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is not a treatment for the sciatic nerve. It does not decompress your spine, release a nerve, or correct an alignment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your leg symptoms are being driven at the nerve root, working on hip mobility may change very little. And \u003cem\u003e“it should be helping, so I'll push harder”\u003c\/em\u003e is one of the most reliable ways people make their symptoms worse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHip and glute mobility is worth working on when it is genuinely part of your picture. If you are not sure whether it is, read \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/what-causes-sciatica\"\u003eWhat Causes Sciatica?\u003c\/a\u003e before you buy anything.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow people typically use it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeated figure-4 \/ deep glute position\u003c\/strong\u003e — bring the knee across with control, instead of hauling on it with your hands.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHip internal rotation\u003c\/strong\u003e — reach a position most people cannot get into unassisted.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSide-lying trunk and hip position\u003c\/strong\u003e — supported, so you are not bracing everywhere else to stay there.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWork in a range that lets your symptoms settle afterwards. If a position consistently sends symptoms \u003cstrong\u003efurther down the leg\u003c\/strong\u003e, that is useful information — stop and reconsider rather than pushing through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere this fits\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cstrong\u003ehip and glute mobility\u003c\/strong\u003e strategy. Most relevant if your reading has pointed you toward neural involvement outside the spine, or toward hip mobility as one contributing piece of a bigger picture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"shqp-spec\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e33.5 in long × 12 in high\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePadded foam body with leverage grip handles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne size fits all\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade by ProStretch (Medi-Dyne)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"shqp-disc\"\u003eEducational and self-management use only. Sciatica HQ does not provide diagnosis or individualised medical advice. If you have new or progressive weakness, changes in bowel or bladder function, or numbness in the saddle or groin region, seek prompt medical evaluation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n.shqp{color:#3D5266;font-size:.98rem;line-height:1.7}\n.shqp h2{color:#0E2439;font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.3;margin:1.8rem 0 .6rem;padding-top:1.35rem;border-top:1px solid #E4EBF1}\n.shqp h2:first-of-type{margin-top:1.2rem}\n.shqp p{margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp strong{color:#0E2439}\n.shqp em{font-style:italic}\n.shqp ul{padding-left:1.15rem;margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp li{margin-bottom:.4rem}\n.shqp a{color:#0EA5A5;text-underline-offset:.15em}\n.shqp-lead{font-size:1.1rem;line-height:1.6;color:#1B3A5C;margin:0 0 1.1rem}\n.shqp-not{border-left:3px solid #E8A33D;background:#FDF7EC;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0;padding:.95rem 1.1rem;margin:.4rem 0 1.2rem}\n.shqp-job{background:#F5F8FA;border-radius:10px;padding:.95rem 1.1rem;margin:1rem 0 1.2rem}\n.shqp-not .l,.shqp-job .l{display:block;font-size:.68rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.12em;text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:.4rem}\n.shqp-not .l{color:#B57A1B}\n.shqp-job .l{color:#0EA5A5}\n.shqp-not p:last-child,.shqp-job p:last-child{margin-bottom:0}\n.shqp-spec{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp-spec li{border-bottom:1px solid #EDF2F6;padding:.5rem 0;margin:0;font-size:.93rem}\n.shqp-disc{font-size:.8rem !important;line-height:1.6;color:#7C8FA1;border-top:1px solid #E4EBF1;padding-top:.9rem;margin-top:1.4rem}\n\u003c\/style\u003e","brand":"ProStretch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59044229841244,"sku":"S05001","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/1323\/9388\/files\/shq-z-hero-v2.png?v=1788900757"},{"product_id":"seated-trunk-lat-mobility-frame-corestretch","title":"Seated Trunk \u0026 Lat Mobility Frame — CoreStretch","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"shqp\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"shqp-lead\"\u003eThe CoreStretch is a \u003cstrong\u003eleverage frame for supported trunk flexion\u003c\/strong\u003e. You sit, brace the padded bar behind you, and use your arms to move into and control a forward-bending position.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat this tool is actually for\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo things make that useful. First, you control how far you go with your arms, rather than by hanging off the end of your available range. Second, you can hold a position without gripping everywhere else just to stay in it — which is often the real reason people cannot tolerate a stretch long enough for anything to change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shqp-job\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"l\"\u003eThe honest job\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003eA controlled, repeatable, supported way to explore trunk and lat mobility and forward-bending positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhen this is \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e the right tool\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shqp-not\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"l\"\u003eRead this before you buy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe are not going to tell you this decompresses your spine. That is a much bigger claim than a bar and a seat can support, and it is not what we are selling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore importantly — forward bending is not universally helpful for leg symptoms. Some people find it settles things down. Others find it makes symptoms travel \u003cstrong\u003efurther\u003c\/strong\u003e down the leg, and for those people this is the wrong direction, at least for now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat difference matters far more than the tool does. If you have not yet worked out how your symptoms respond to position and movement, start with \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/what-causes-sciatica\"\u003eWhat Causes Sciatica?\u003c\/a\u003e rather than here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow people typically use it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeated forward bend\u003c\/strong\u003e — the main position. Move in slowly, hold where you can breathe, come out under control.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLat and side-trunk positions\u003c\/strong\u003e — by angling the reach rather than going straight forward.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGraded exposure\u003c\/strong\u003e — because the depth is set by your arms, it is easy to repeat the \u003cem\u003esame\u003c\/em\u003e amount tomorrow and compare how you responded.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePay attention to what happens over the following few hours, not just how it feels in the moment. Symptoms that centralise — that pull back toward your back and away from your foot — mean something different from symptoms that travel further down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere this fits\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cstrong\u003epositioning and mobility\u003c\/strong\u003e strategy. Most relevant once you have some sense of which directions your symptoms tolerate, which is exactly why we would rather you read first and buy second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"shqp-spec\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight-adjustable shaft with pivot bar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePadded back bar and foam hand grips\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne size fits all\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes the manufacturer's stretching guide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade by ProStretch (Medi-Dyne)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"shqp-disc\"\u003eEducational and self-management use only. Sciatica HQ does not provide diagnosis or individualised medical advice. If you have new or progressive weakness, changes in bowel or bladder function, or numbness in the saddle or groin region, seek prompt medical evaluation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n.shqp{color:#3D5266;font-size:.98rem;line-height:1.7}\n.shqp h2{color:#0E2439;font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.3;margin:1.8rem 0 .6rem;padding-top:1.35rem;border-top:1px solid #E4EBF1}\n.shqp h2:first-of-type{margin-top:1.2rem}\n.shqp p{margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp strong{color:#0E2439}\n.shqp em{font-style:italic}\n.shqp ul{padding-left:1.15rem;margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp li{margin-bottom:.4rem}\n.shqp a{color:#0EA5A5;text-underline-offset:.15em}\n.shqp-lead{font-size:1.1rem;line-height:1.6;color:#1B3A5C;margin:0 0 1.1rem}\n.shqp-not{border-left:3px solid #E8A33D;background:#FDF7EC;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0;padding:.95rem 1.1rem;margin:.4rem 0 1.2rem}\n.shqp-job{background:#F5F8FA;border-radius:10px;padding:.95rem 1.1rem;margin:1rem 0 1.2rem}\n.shqp-not .l,.shqp-job .l{display:block;font-size:.68rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.12em;text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:.4rem}\n.shqp-not .l{color:#B57A1B}\n.shqp-job .l{color:#0EA5A5}\n.shqp-not p:last-child,.shqp-job p:last-child{margin-bottom:0}\n.shqp-spec{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp-spec li{border-bottom:1px solid #EDF2F6;padding:.5rem 0;margin:0;font-size:.93rem}\n.shqp-disc{font-size:.8rem !important;line-height:1.6;color:#7C8FA1;border-top:1px solid #E4EBF1;padding-top:.9rem;margin-top:1.4rem}\n\u003c\/style\u003e","brand":"ProStretch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59044232036700,"sku":"CS00010","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/1323\/9388\/files\/shq-corestretch-hero-v2.png?v=1788900760"},{"product_id":"graded-stretching-strap-stretchrite","title":"Graded Stretching Strap — StretchRite","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"shqp\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"shqp-lead\"\u003eA strap is a simple thing. What makes this one worth having is that it is \u003cstrong\u003enon-elastic and has fixed grips\u003c\/strong\u003e along its length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat this tool is actually for\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNon-elastic means the position you set is the position you get — the strap is not quietly giving way as you pull. Fixed grips mean you can note which grip you reached today, and reach for the \u003cem\u003esame\u003c\/em\u003e one tomorrow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shqp-job\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"l\"\u003eThe honest job\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt lets you hold a stretch position without gripping with your hands, and it makes the amount you did measurable and repeatable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy repeatable matters more than deep\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf every stretch session is a slightly different intensity, you cannot learn anything from how you responded. You just have a vague sense that stretching does or doesn't help.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing able to say \u003cem\u003e“grip four, thirty seconds, twice — and symptoms were unchanged that evening”\u003c\/em\u003e is genuinely more useful than going as far as you can and hoping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhen this is \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e the right tool\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shqp-not\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"l\"\u003eRead this before you buy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003eA strap makes a stretch easier to perform. It does not decide whether that stretch is a good idea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis matters especially for the back of the leg. A hamstring that feels tight is not automatically a hamstring that needs a harder stretch — neural tissue runs through the back of the leg too, and it responds to position and tension in its own way. Pulling harder on a sensation that is not actually muscle tightness is a common way to stir symptoms up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf that idea is new to you, read \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/what-is-sciatica\"\u003eWhat Is Sciatica?\u003c\/a\u003e — we cover it there properly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"shqp-spec\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNon-elastic woven strap with six fixed hand grips\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePadded foot cradle at one end\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne size fits all · Blue \/ White\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade by ProStretch (Medi-Dyne)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"shqp-disc\"\u003eEducational and self-management use only. Sciatica HQ does not provide diagnosis or individualised medical advice. If you have new or progressive weakness, changes in bowel or bladder function, or numbness in the saddle or groin region, seek prompt medical evaluation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n.shqp{color:#3D5266;font-size:.98rem;line-height:1.7}\n.shqp h2{color:#0E2439;font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.3;margin:1.8rem 0 .6rem;padding-top:1.35rem;border-top:1px solid #E4EBF1}\n.shqp h2:first-of-type{margin-top:1.2rem}\n.shqp p{margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp strong{color:#0E2439}\n.shqp em{font-style:italic}\n.shqp ul{padding-left:1.15rem;margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp li{margin-bottom:.4rem}\n.shqp a{color:#0EA5A5;text-underline-offset:.15em}\n.shqp-lead{font-size:1.1rem;line-height:1.6;color:#1B3A5C;margin:0 0 1.1rem}\n.shqp-not{border-left:3px solid #E8A33D;background:#FDF7EC;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0;padding:.95rem 1.1rem;margin:.4rem 0 1.2rem}\n.shqp-job{background:#F5F8FA;border-radius:10px;padding:.95rem 1.1rem;margin:1rem 0 1.2rem}\n.shqp-not .l,.shqp-job .l{display:block;font-size:.68rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.12em;text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:.4rem}\n.shqp-not .l{color:#B57A1B}\n.shqp-job .l{color:#0EA5A5}\n.shqp-not p:last-child,.shqp-job p:last-child{margin-bottom:0}\n.shqp-spec{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0 0 .9rem}\n.shqp-spec li{border-bottom:1px solid #EDF2F6;padding:.5rem 0;margin:0;font-size:.93rem}\n.shqp-disc{font-size:.8rem !important;line-height:1.6;color:#7C8FA1;border-top:1px solid #E4EBF1;padding-top:.9rem;margin-top:1.4rem}\n\u003c\/style\u003e","brand":"ProStretch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59044232659292,"sku":"SR00010BW","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/1323\/9388\/files\/shq-stretchrite-hero-v2.png?v=1788900764"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1053\/1323\/9388\/collections\/shq-z-hero.png?v=1788897572","url":"https:\/\/sciaticahq.com\/collections\/tools.oembed","provider":"Sciatica HQ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}