Physiotherapy for Sciatica

Back pain is one thing. But what happens when it’s accompanied by sharp, shooting pain down your leg? Or numbness and tingling in your foot? Those symptoms typically indicate sciatica, an excruciating but often misunderstood condition. However, physiotherapy for sciatica can help you find relief.

To help you better understand sciatica–what it is and the role of physiotherapy in addressing it–we want to explore the story of one of Key Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre’s patients, whom we’ll call Jessica. And if you think you might be struggling with sciatica, schedule an appointment at our Nova Scotia clinic today!

Meet the Patient (And Her Symptoms)

Jessica had just retired and was looking forward to pursuing hobbies she’d never had time for, like growing a garden and hiking. But then, a sudden onset of very painful symptoms put a damper on her plans.

The most significant symptom was pain. Jessica said it felt like a lightning bolt traveling from her lower back down her left leg. Completing day-to-day activities seemed almost impossible.

However, Jessica also noticed the frequent feeling of pins and needles in her left leg and foot, which only added to her concern. She eventually knew she needed to seek help, and she visited the team here at Key Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre

Confirming Sciatica–and Its Underlying Cause

We began, as always do, with a comprehensive evaluation. We reviewed Jessica’s symptoms and then conducted a thorough physical examination to test the strength and mobility in her back and leg.

Jessica’s symptoms strongly suggested sciatica. The condition occurs when something irritates the sciatic nerve root, which is located in the lower back. The nerve itself, however, runs down the leg into the foot. Shooting, electric pain and paresthesia (the pins and needles sensation) indicate nerve disorders.

However, we wanted to take things further and determine why Jessica had developed sciatica.

In most cases, sciatica develops due to a herniated disc, which occurs when the soft cushion between your spine’s vertebrae bulges out. Sometimes, herniated discs just cause lower back pain (or no symptoms at all). But if the disc presses against or causes inflammation of the nerve roots that make up the sciatic nerve, sciatica develops. This is exactly what happened to Jessica.

So, how did she develop a herniated disc? As an older adult, the intervertebral discs in her spine had begun to degenerate–a normal part of human aging. She strained her spine when she was lifting a heavy bag of mulch in her garden, causing her disc to herniate.

A Personalized Physiotherapy Program for Addressing Sciatica

Once we knew Jessica had developed a herniated disc, we were able to create a customized program to address her injury–and thus resolve her sciatica symptoms.

We began with acute pain relief. Regular movement is crucial in addressing a herniated disc, but Jessica’s sciatic pain made that difficult. We utilized manual therapy techniques, such as spinal mobilization and soft tissue manipulation, as a drug-free way to relieve some of that pain. We also incorporated pain-relieving modalities, such as laser therapy, which helped blood flow and eased the muscle guarding that is common with sciatica.

However, Jessica needed to begin moving as much as possible. We showed her appropriate therapeutic exercises for her current condition, including specific stretches. We helped guide her through them and offered modifications when needed.

Next, we focused on improving her core strength and stability, as a strong core helps support the spine and, over time, can help relieve some of that pressure on the sciatic nerve root. We also developed a gentle walking program that Jessica could do at home.

Physiotherapy for sciatica helped Jessica rehabilitate her herniated disc and resolve her symptoms. Before she finished her program, we provided personalized advice on how to avoid herniating another disc in the future.

Struggling with Sciatica? Try Physiotherapy

Sciatica is painful, but physiotherapy for sciatica can help resolve it completely. Schedule an appointment with Key Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre today–and let us find a program that works as well for you as it did for Jessica!