Sciatica Treatment

Effective Physical Therapy for Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief

Understanding Sciatica

Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve — the largest nerve in your body — which runs from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disc, bone spur, or narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses part of the nerve, causing inflammation, pain, and often numbness in the affected leg.

While sciatica can be intensely painful, the majority of cases resolve with conservative treatment — specifically, physical therapy. At Kinito Physical Therapy, our fellowship-trained therapists specialize in identifying the root cause of your sciatic pain and developing a targeted treatment plan to relieve your symptoms and prevent recurrence.

Common Symptoms of Sciatica

• Sharp, shooting, or burning pain radiating from the lower back into the buttock and down one leg
• Numbness or tingling in the leg or foot
• Weakness in the affected leg or foot
• Pain that worsens with sitting, coughing, or sneezing
• Difficulty standing up or walking
• Constant pain on one side of the rear

How We Treat Sciatica

Comprehensive Evaluation: Your therapist will perform a detailed assessment including movement testing, neurological screening, and special tests to determine exactly what is causing your sciatic nerve irritation.

Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques including spinal mobilization, nerve gliding (neurodynamics), and soft tissue mobilization to reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve and restore normal movement patterns.

Directional Preference Exercises: Based on the McKenzie Method and other evidence-based approaches, we identify which movements centralize your pain (move it out of the leg and back toward the spine) — a key indicator of improvement.

Core Stabilization: Strengthening the deep core muscles that support and protect your spine to prevent future episodes of sciatica.

Dry Needling: When trigger points in the piriformis or other gluteal muscles are contributing to nerve irritation, dry needling can provide rapid relief.

When to Seek Treatment

Do not wait for sciatica to resolve on its own. While mild symptoms may improve with rest, persistent or worsening pain — especially pain accompanied by progressive weakness or numbness — should be evaluated promptly. Early intervention with physical therapy typically leads to faster recovery and better long-term outcomes.