By: Anthony Celio, PT, DPT, and Eric Brown, PT, DPT, COMT, OCS

While the symptoms for sciatica typically occur down your leg, the root cause of it is higher up your kinetic chain. Sciatica is most commonly the result of nerve root compression. This can occur in your lumbar spine by a disc, like a bone spur, or by degenerative changes to your bones.

Sciatica isn’t only caused by your low back, though. It can also be caused by tightness or compression of the hip muscles on the sciatic nerve.

There are a large range of causes for sciatica!

Sciatica can also be caused through traumatic injury. Lifting something heavy- especially with improper form- can put a lot of strain on your hips and lower back. Sudden movements that your body is not prepared for can lead to aggravation and inflammation around the nerve as well.

Often, sciatica occurs slowly over time. Posture, anatomy, or growing muscle tightness over a long period of time is typically the cause of sciatica. For example, spending a lot of time sitting can be a cause. Keeping your hip in flexion- like bending forward, sitting, driving, spending time on the couch, and so on- without extending your hip and stretching it, may cause nerve compression down the road.

Symptoms

Sciatica is named for the nerve that travels down the back of the leg. There are branches to this nerve that reach around the side and to the front of the leg. The most common complaint with sciatica is pain, numbness, or tingling down the back of the leg. If you Google these symptoms, sciatica is typically right at the top of the search.

However, sciatica can cause sensory changes throughout your thigh or just in the front of it due to the branches that reach around the leg. Symptoms can also occur partially down your leg or all of the way down. Where the compression occurs and the severity of it will impact how and where the symptoms occur.

Other Injuries and Conditions

There are other injuries and conditions with similar symptoms that can mimic sciatica:

  • Proximal hamstring strain
  • Neuropathy
  • IT band syndrome
  • Knee injuries

PT for Sciatica

Treating your sciatica sooner rather than later can help it resolve easier. If your sciatica is caused by a traumatic event, beginning physical therapy within the first 17-21 days helps resolve your symptoms quicker. If the pain is chronic, there is still a good prognosis, it may take longer to achieve relief.

Physical therapists are movement experts who can help find the root cause of your compression and give you a treatment plan unique to you. Often, imaging will not change or significantly impact the plan of care for physical therapy. If imaging is needed for more information, your physical therapist can refer you out.

Your physical therapist will work with you to find the cause of your sciatica, where the compression is, and treatments to help alleviate your symptoms. The treatment our team gives will be unique to you and your needs so you can move and feel your best.

Do you think you have sciatica? Schedule an appointment with a Spooner therapist today!