Stages of Sciatica Recovery
The Sciatic Nerve
Sciatica describes pain radiating from your back, into your buttock and down your leg. The sciatic nerve provides most of the motor and sensory activity to the lower limbs. Pressure on the sciatic nerve anywhere along its pathway can cause irritation, inflammation, and pain. Sciatic pain tends to occur only in one leg and is generally aggravated by sitting and bending. Leg pain is typically described as burning, and/or tingling of the affected leg.
Stages of Recovery
Pain Reduction Management
Your physiotherapist will consider your symptoms and factor in your lifestyle when planning your treatment plan. As with the majority of back problems, keeping moving can be helpful for treatment of sciatic nerve irritation. Mobilisation of the joints in the lower back and trigger point dry needling and soft tissue massage of the gluteal muscles can relieve pain. There are also several things you can try that have helped others:
Gentle Stretching - This helps loosen your muscles before bed and reduces pressure on the sciatic nerve. Please consult a physiotherapist for recommendations on what stretches are suitable for you.
Pilates - Is effective in treating sciatica by improving posture, quality and control of movement, and increasing lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint stability. We provide physio led modified pilates classes.
Taking a bath - a warm bath can help relax the muscles around your sciatic nerve, it also relaxes your mind which always helps when dealing with pain.
Movement and Strength
A functional assessment of your movement may be beneficial to identify any movement ‘flaws’ that may have contributed to the development of sciatic nerve pain. We can also discuss things like your desk set-up. Your physiotherapist will then create a personalised movement and strength programme of exercises for you to do at home, and advise you on any other changes you may need to make to office space.
Back to Routine/Activities
Now that you are pain free or the pain is well managed and movement patterns and strength deficits have been attended to, our main goal is to get you back into your normal routine. Our physios will be happy to guide you by gradually returning to your normal activities.
Don’t live with your pain
Many treatments can be helpful to aid the resolution of sciatica. Here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy, we will develop a personalised treatment plan that will help you manage your symptoms and help you return to your previous function as timely as possible.
Our Services - Sciatica
Physiotherapy can successfully treat sciatic pain by using techniques that concentrate directly on the structures causing the pain.