What is Sciatica?
Sciatica the name typically comes from irritation to the sciatic nerve, which travels deep in the buttock and down the back of the leg. Sciatica is a term used to describe radiating pain traveling into the buttock or down the back of the thigh.
The sciatic nerve pierces through the piriformis muscle. This muscle helps guide hip movement, but can become very tight with prolonged sitting or overuse. This tightness causes pressure and irritation to the sciatic nerve causing pain.
Radiating pain to the leg doesn’t always mean you have sciatica, but it does tell you that something is not right. Irritated muscles and tissue often can radiate pain. There can be sharp, stabbing pain with numbness or tingling is more nerve irritation or compression occurring in the back or leg. Other reasons for such kinds of symptoms can be vitamin b12 deficiency or neuritis.
How physical therapy can help you
Mckenzie is one of the best treatments for sciatica and radiating pain into the leg. A thorough evaluation is done to determine whether spine is the source of your sciatica. If not then range of motion, strength, tightness and mobility of the lower limb muscles and the joints are assessed.
After we determine the root cause of your problem, we generate a comprehensive treatment plan to quickly relieve your pain, radiating symptoms, improve range of motion, improve strength and help you to prevent future episodes.
With Mckenzie technique, we help you to manage your own pain independently. In some cases, a hands-on by the therapist is required while treating with Mckenzie however the maintenance exercises are patient dependent. Other specialized hands-on techniques can be used to improve your spinal and hip mobility, reducing pressure on your sciatic nerve. In addition, modalities such as heat, ice, electrical stimulation and ultrasound may be used to reduce inflammation and resolve you pain quickly. We also plan recovery of function and guide for further prevention strategies. Call us today to find out how we can help relieve your sciatica and leg pain, returning you to the activities you love.