Suffering from Sciatica? Physical Therapy Has Solutions
Are you dealing with burning, shooting pain that radiates from your lower back into your foot? This is the hallmark of sciatica, an often misunderstood nerve condition. While sciatica can be extremely painful–and often debilitating–you don’t need to despair. Physical therapy at IMG Physical Therapy has solutions to help you find relief.
Sciatica is named for the sciatic nerve, one of the primary nerves in your body. Its roots are located in your lower back, and the nerve runs through the buttocks and down the back of the leg into the foot. While some people will refer to any pain in the lower extremities as sciatica, the term only refers to symptoms that stem from the sciatic nerve.
To help you better understand sciatica and what physical therapy can do to help, we want to share a case study of one of our patients, a 55-year-old woman we’ll call Sally. If you suspect you may have sciatica, schedule an appointment with us today!
Exploring Sally’s Symptoms
Sally’s pain was quite severe. She mostly felt it in her right leg–a shooting, electric pain that seemed to split down the back of her calf muscle. Occasionally, she felt a dull ache in her lower back, but her leg pain caused her the most trouble. It was worse when she was lying down or had to be on her feet for long periods.
The other issue–and the reason she ultimately found her way to our clinic–was that she also experienced a persistent pins and needles sensation down the back of her leg, which alarmed her. As her leg began to feel weak and heavy, she knew her symptoms weren’t going away on their own.
Exercise of the Month
Lower Trunk Rotations
(Lower Back, Core)
Start by lying face up on the floor with your knees bent. Allow your knees to slowly drop to one side. Your lower back should rotate, but your shoulders should stay flat on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds. Bring your knees back up and then drop them to the opposite side. 2 Sets, 2 Reps.
Free In-Person Workshop
Rotator Cuff Workshop: Thursday, Sept 18 at 6 pm
Contact us for more details. The workshops and consultations are free, but space is limited, so sign up soon.
Identifying the Root Cause
Our physical therapists listened to Sally explain her symptoms and then performed a comprehensive physical evaluation to assess her strength, range of motion, and key areas. We also took a complete health history.
While we could confidently say Sally had sciatica, it was more important for us to determine why she had it. The truth is that sciatica isn’t so much a condition in and of itself as a sign that something is wrong with the sciatic nerve–usually that it’s been compressed or irritated.
So we dug a little deeper and confirmed what we suspected: Sally had developed a herniated disc. Herniated discs occur when the cushiony material between the spine’s vertebrae bulges outward. In Sally’s case, that bulging disc was pressing against her right sciatic nerve root, sending symptoms radiating down the nerve itself.
Addressing the Issue
Once we knew Sally’s sciatica had developed due to a herniated disc, we were able to create a personalized treatment plan to address it. Fortunately for Sally, physical therapy is an excellent way of resolving pain from a herniated disc.
We began with acute pain management, particularly through manual therapy techniques like spinal mobilizations (guiding the back through its current range of motion) or soft tissue manipulation (a massage-like manipulation of the muscles and other tissue).
These techniques offered acute pain relief so Sally could begin working on a personalized exercise program. At first, we focused on gentle back stretches and encouraged Sally to walk around her block a few times a week.
But as she improved, we began incorporating core strengthening exercises, too. Why core strength? Well, your core muscles support and stabilize the spine; the stronger they are, the more support they offer the lower back. We guided her through a progressive series of exercises, increasing the intensity as she got stronger.
Finally, we gave Sally the tools she needed to prevent future herniated discs. Namely, we encouraged her to stay active, maintain her spine mobility, and continue strengthening her core. We also showed her proper lifting technique so she would be less likely to injure herself.
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/, https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/m20-4187, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1836955320300229
Find Your Own Sciatica Relief Today
If you have sciatica symptoms, you don’t have to suffer! The team at IMG Physical Therapy can help you pinpoint the cause of your sciatica and find a solution that works for you. Call us today to get started.
Patient Spotlight
“As a result of my sessions here, I have gained relief from the discomfort of sore piriformis and sciatica. Additionally, I have gained more strength and confidence as I go through my daily activities.” – Dale B.
“Before my course of therapy at IMG-PT, I was in pain 24/7, and I thought I would have to learn to live with it. I was convinced that I would eventually need to switch jobs to something less physically demanding, and that made me feel so discouraged. I would cancel plans with friends because of fear of increasing my pain. Now, after therapy, pain and balance issues I’d had for 8+ years are gone. I can do the vocation I love, travel without fear, stand and walk without pain. I have a level of endurance I haven’t had for years. A life of wellness and activities I enjoy will no longer be limited by my back injury, and I am eternally grateful for that gift that IMG-PT has given me through their excellent skills and clinical expertise!” – Kate L.
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First Day of Fall
A Note from Chris
“Hello all,
I hope you had a great Summer. I cannot believe that another school year has already started. I would like to discuss something very memorable for me and many of you, and that is sciatica pain. Have you or a loved one experienced sciatica pain in the past? If you have, you know how debilitating it can be. My personal occurrence started 20+ years ago when trying to pull out a juniper bush for my grandmother. I had an attack so bad one time after another landscaping tree issue that Eric had to help mow my lawn one day, because I could barely move. We were scheduled to play golf that day, and he showed up at my house, and SURPRISE! It had limited my ability to drive to see my family while on vacation, to the point that it brought tears to my eyes and a few four-letter words under my breath. It can be extremely painful, especially with sitting and bending activities. The great news is that with the laser therapy and the manual therapy techniques that we currently use, I have been able to avoid the severe pain for the past 5 years. When I start to feel it come on, Eric, Andrea, and some of my past students have helped to put me back into normal alignment. That and I do my nerve glides and stability exercises every morning. I have had 6 knee surgeries on one knee and do not do those exercises like I should. I make sure I do my sciatic nerve exercises every day. Once you have that type of pain and limitations, you never want it to happen again.
On a completely different note, I want to wish my amazing and incredible wife a Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary!!! While you are reading this newsletter, we are either preparing for / or on our anniversary trip. My wife wanted to stay in a hut over water on our honeymoon, but we couldn’t afford it then. This year, we are crossing that experience off her bucket list. We are visiting Bora Bora and New Zealand this month. I will be doing my sciatic nerve exercises while away on vacation.
If you are having a pain in the butt and down the leg, and it isn’t someone you are currently married to… because obviously that is not my issue… don’t wait to get help. If there is anything we can do to help, please feel free to reach out to the office. The laser, which is owned by all the professional sports teams, has been a real game-changer for many of our patients. Have an amazing month and Fall season!!! I look forward to sharing some amazing pictures from my anniversary experience with everyone at the end of this month. Stop by and say hello. Ask to see the over-the-water hut picture for a chance at a free laser treatment. One winner will be drawn in the middle of October.”
