What is sciatica?↓

Clinically referred to as lumbar radiculopathy, sciatica is a condition involving the nerve(s) in your lower back. When a nerve is injured, compressed, or pinched it can create pain, tingling/numbness, or even weakness extending from the low back down through the hip/buttock and into the leg, ankle or foot. One, some or all of these symptoms may be present, but it can be different for each individual.

What is disc herniation? ↓

The disc is a fluid-filled sac surrounded by a tire-like structure. The disc acts as a cushion between the bones of the spine and helps protect the nerves. A disc “herniates” when the tire wall breaks and the fluid leaks out. This can put pressure on a nerve and in severe cases on the spinal cord. Lumbar (or lower back) disc herniations are the most common followed by the cervical spine (neck). A disc can herniate suddenly due to trauma or slowly over time due to long-term pressure on the spine, such as prolonged sitting with poor posture.

Do I need back surgery?↓

Depends, the large majority of cases do not require surgery despite positive findings on MRI or imaging. Most will resolve with conservative treatment a.k.a physical therapy. During your initial evaluation and even during follow up visits, your physical therapist will educate you on how physical therapy can help with you specific symptoms and whether or not you’ll require a consultation with a surgeon.

How can physical therapy help? ↓

Because the symptoms and pain are individual, each patient will have a different presentation at therapy. A physical therapist will do a thorough medical history review including gathering all the information about your current pain levels, current functional deficits and how this impacts your daily activities. A movement assessment will be performed including observation of activities such as walking or getting in/out of a chair as well as movements specific to your pain location and symptoms. With this information your physical therapist can develop a personalized treatment plan to help relieve your back pain and get you back to your normal routine. Your physical therapist will likely prescribe a combination of exercises, stretches and activities to avoid while you’re recovering as well as advise you on how to resume activities once you find relief.