Physical Therapy Solutions for Sciatica and Back Pain
Are you experiencing pain in your leg or numbness in your foot? Are these symptoms making it difficult for you to go about your daily routine? You could be suffering from sciatica.
Sciatica is often a debilitating condition that is a result of compression or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The condition most commonly is associated with pain radiating down the leg. It can be so severe that people struggle to do normal activities of daily living. While “sciatica” may sound serious, it’s entirely curable.
Call our clinic today to make an appointment. With guidance from your physical therapist, you can find solutions to your pain and get back to living the life you enjoy!
Conquer Your Back Pain and Enjoy a Pain-Free Spring
As the world awakens this spring, don’t let back pain keep you from enjoying the season’s beauty. At First Choice Physical Therapy, we’ll help you find the spirit of spring by resolving your back pain once and for all!
Our expert guidance will help you:
- Alleviate your pain and prevent future discomfort.
- Regain your mobility and strength so you can enjoy the warmer weather.
- Spend time with your friends and family without back pain standing in your way!
Our treatments are tailored to your unique needs to help you enjoy spring with confidence and vitality—reach out today and let us help you bloom pain-free!
How Can You Tell If You Have Sciatica?
Although sciatica is a commonly used term, it may also cause confusion because it is sometimes used to describe any type of back or leg pain. But “true” sciatica refers to pain that radiates downwards from the lower back/buttock region along the course of the nerve into the thigh and lower leg. Symptoms that extend below the knee and into the lower leg and foot are consistent with a true sciatica.
Not all patients have pain. Some patients experience paresthesias (i.e. numbness and tingling) along the sciatic nerve’s path in the leg and foot. For some, the condition may include weakness in the muscles of the foot and lower leg. In serious cases, it can include changes to bowel and bladder function.
While sciatica pain can be intense, it is treatable. For a lot of people, physical therapy can help to resolve sciatica without operation — often within just a few weeks. Even if you’ve suffered severe sciatica spawned from leg weakness, bladder changes or nerve issues, there’s still hope.
“Everyone is so awesome!! We have come to First Choice Physical Therapy off and on the last few years… every time has been very helpful for the issues that we went for!! So grateful to have all of the team be a part of our healing experiences!!“
– Google 5-Star Review
What Causes Sciatica?
In most cases, sciatica is caused by a herniated lumbar disc where the nerve root is irritated by disc material that has ruptured. Recent evidence suggests that sciatica is not because of “compression” but a combination of pressure, inflammation and immune system defenses.
In most cases, a physical therapist can help to identify what is causing the condition and how to successfully resolve it. The combination of education and activity modification can help set the stage for a successful outcome.
The Most Common Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica back pain is normally noticed as a pain radiating from the lower back/buttock down the leg below the knee and sometimes into the foot. The dominance of leg pain (more than back pain) is a classic characteristic of sciatica.
The location of the leg pain (i.e. outer calf or back of calf); paraesthesia (i.e. numbness and/or tingling) or loss of sensation, along with weakness and/or reflex changes are all indications of sciatica. Another clear sign is increased leg pain with coughing, sneezing and/or taking a deep breath. If sciatica isn’t treated, it can hinder mobility altogether.
How Physical Therapy Can Help with Sciatica
If you’re experiencing sciatica, contact a physical therapist immediately. Your physical therapist will perform a thorough physical examination and based on the finding provide you with solutions that work.
Education
Understanding exactly what sciatica is and how to manage it can help you be proactive and find a solution for your sciatica. Your therapist knows the solutions that work. Understanding what is going on, and more importantly, what you can do about it, has been shown to be one of the most effective solutions. It seems small but consistently it has been shown to help!
Advice to stay active
It is especially important to stay active early, despite the intensity of the pain that can be associated with sciatica. We know that rest is not an effective solution. Your physical therapist can help you identify modifications to painful tasks and help you be safe and active.
Exercise therapy
Supervised exercises are vital to a successful outcome. A physical therapist will tailor your exercises, monitor you and progress you based on your individual needs. Supervised exercise therapy includes directional exercises, proper postural exercises, nerve mobilization, or strength exercises.
The McKenzie Method is a technique that has been shown to be effective in identifying movements and positions to provide you with relief and is often used for home exercises.
Spinal manual therapy
Physical therapists often use spinal manual therapy for their patients with sciatica. Manual therapies include a variety of techniques that move one or more joints within normal ranges of motion with the aim of improving spinal joint motion or function. It can also include soft tissue techniques that help to alleviate pain and allow for more mobility and improved function.
Exercise of the Month
Modified Piriformis Stretch
(Hips, Glutes, Sciatic Nerve)
Start by lying on the ground with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee and gently apply pressure to the top knee to deepen the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. Slowly lower your leg back to the floor and repeat on the other side. 3 Sets, 2 Reps.
Service Spotlight: What is decompression therapy?
First Choice Physical Therapy in Spring Creek, Carlin, Elko, NV and Elko Spine and Rehabilitation offers a revolutionary non-surgical treatment option called decompression therapy for those suffering from a herniated disc and/or pinched nerve in the back or neck. Decompression therapy is a painless, minimally-invasive treatment for the back or neck that facilitates healing and restores normal functioning of the spine. With spinal decompression therapy, patients have a safe and comfortable way of treating back and neck pain associated with a number of common conditions.
Decompression therapy is an innovative technology in which an advanced mechanical traction table controlled by a computer produces the forces and positions required to specifically target and decompress (unload) predetermined spinal levels of injury. With precise table attachments for relaxed patient positioning in treating either the lumbar spine (low back) or cervical spine (neck) allowing problem areas to be decompressed at a controlled intensity, in periods of stretch and relaxation which cycle over several minutes. Our innovative care strategies at First Choice Physical Therapy will help you find quick relief.
What are decompression therapy treatments like?
Treatments can take up to 30 minutes and generally are preceded by a combination of manual “hands-on” techniques to assist in pain relief, muscle relaxation and accelerated healing. Patients are also given the option to incorporate basic stretches to improve mobility and enhance their recovery.
Many patients with unrelenting neck or back pain who have not found relief through medication and other treatment options like physical therapy may be eligible for decompression therapy. Decompression therapy may also be an excellent option for patients with back and neck pain who have found no relief with other procedures. The treatment plan that your physical therapist sets up for you will help you achieve a pain-free life.
Conditions Treated with Decompression Therapy:
- Spinal Stenosis
- Herniated/Bulging Discs
- Degenerative Discs
- Spinal Facet Arthritis
- Pinched Spinal Nerves
Get started today!
For more information and to see if you are a candidate for decompression therapy, request an appointment with First Choice Physical Therapy today.
Recipe: Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts
Simplifying dinner doesn’t mean sacrificing nutrition. This single-pan meal combines Omega-3 rich salmon with a colorful array of winter vegetables to support joint health. The zesty glaze—packed with ginger and garlic—provides natural anti-inflammatory benefits while the Brussels sprouts and peppers offer a high dose of Vitamin C to aid tissue repair.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (approx. 2 limes)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (approx. 2-inch piece)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust for spice preference)
- 6 medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/3 pound skin-on salmon fillet (approx. 1 inch thick)
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, divided
Instructions
Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper.
Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, lime juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil, minced ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Set this mixture aside.
Season Vegetables: In a bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts, bell pepper, and red onion with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Assemble: Place the salmon fillet on the prepared sheet pan and arrange the vegetable mixture around it.
Sauce and Bake: Drizzle about 1/3 cup of the hoisin glaze over both the salmon and the vegetables (reserve the rest for serving). Sprinkle the salmon with sesame seeds.
Cook: Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your desired doneness and the vegetables are tender.
Serve: Finish by drizzling 2 tablespoons of the reserved glaze over the dish and sprinkling the salmon with the remaining salt. Serve immediately with any leftover sauce.
Call Our Clinic Today
These treatments, hand-picked by professionals, can completely eliminate sciatica over time. If you’re experiencing back pain, don’t wait. Call one of our physical therapists today and schedule your first appointment to have your condition assessed and your back pain treated, once and for all.
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33017565/, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1836955320300229?via%3Dihub, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1836955320300229?via%3Dihub, https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6273, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29602304/
