Can Physiotherapy help sciatica?

Let’s talk about sciatica

If you’ve ever felt a burning, shooting pain running from your lower back down your leg… congratulations—you’ve experienced one of the most annoying, frustrating, and downright rude conditions out there…

Sciatica doesn’t just show up quietly.

It grabs your nerves, sets them on fire, and makes even simple things—like standing up or tying your shoes—feel like a mission.

And yet, the usual advice sounds like a bad joke:

👉 “Just rest.”
👉 “Take some painkillers.”
👉 “It’ll go away on its own.”

WRONG. 🚨

Sciatica isn’t something you just “wait out.”
It’s something you need to actively fix.

And guess what? Physiotherapy is one of the best ways to do that.

What Actually Causes Sciatica?

First, let’s clear something up.

Sciatica isn’t a condition—it’s a symptom.

Your sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body, running from your lower back, through your glutes, and down your leg.

If it gets irritated, compressed, or pinched, you’ll feel that deep, nagging, electric pain that makes you consider giving up on walking altogether.

The most common causes of sciatica include:

🔹 A bulging or herniated disc – When the cushions between your vertebrae press on the nerve.
🔹 Tight muscles (like your piriformis) – This little muscle in your butt can squeeze the sciatic nerve and make your life miserable.
🔹 Spinal stenosis – A narrowing of the spaces in your spine, putting pressure on nerves.
🔹 Poor movement habits – Sitting too much, weak glutes, and bad lifting mechanics can all contribute.

Now that you know the culprits, let’s talk about how to fix it.

How Physiotherapy Helps Sciatica

Most people mistake rest for recovery.

🚨 Bad news: Resting too much makes sciatica worse.
🚀 Good news: Movement is the key to relief.

And science agrees:

🔹 Study #1: Research in Spine Journal found that exercise-based physiotherapy leads to faster pain relief and better function compared to just taking painkillers. (Deyo et al., 2018)

🔹 Study #2: A review in The Lancet concluded that physiotherapy and guided movement are first-line treatments for lower back and sciatic pain. (Foster et al., 2018)

So what does this mean for you? Physios help you move in a way that actually reduces nerve irritation.

Here’s what that looks like:

✅ Targeted Mobility Work: If your hips, lower back, or hamstrings are stiff, they can irritate your sciatic nerve. We loosen them up (without making things worse).

✅ Strength Training: Your core, glutes, and back muscles protect your spine. We make them strong enough to keep your nerve happy and pain-free.

✅ Nerve Flossing Techniques: Yep, you can literally “floss” your sciatic nerve to help it move smoothly without pain.

✅ Fixing Movement Patterns: Sciatica often comes from years of bad habits. We teach you how to sit, stand, walk, and lift in a way that doesn’t irritate your nerve.

"But Shouldn't I Just Stretch My Hamstrings?"

NO. ❌

One of the biggest mistakes people make with sciatica is aggressive hamstring stretching.

Yes, your hamstrings feel tight.
No, they’re not the problem.

In many cases, they’re tight because your body is protecting your irritated nerve. Stretching them aggressively is like yanking on a fire alarm that’s already blaring.

Instead, you need a proper strategy—one that helps your body calm down the nerve, move better, and strengthen the right areas.

The Bottom Line

👉 Physiotherapy is one of the best ways to treat sciatica.
👉 Painkillers and rest don’t fix the root cause.
👉 A proper rehab plan can get you out of pain and moving normally again.

So if you’re sick of feeling like your leg is being electrocuted every time you move, don’t wait.