Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief Stretches

Dr. Elijah Chiang from Foothills Sports Medicine Physical Therapy (Tempe Location) shows us his top 4 exercises to relieve sciatic nerve pain. At Foothills, we believe a "good enough" recovery is just not good enough. Our FULL recovery focus will help you get your full healthy life back. To request an appointment or schedule a FREE pain assessment, visit www.foothillsrehab.com. Common Q&A: What causes Sciatic pain? Sciatic pain can be caused by numerous reasons such as a herniated disc or a narrowing of your spine. However, the most common reason is due to a pinching of the sciatic nerve as it passes through/around the piriformis. This is often caused by a rotation in the pelvis and/or weakness in her glutes. How soon can you find relief after physical therapy? It takes approximately 4 weeks to build new muscle and the change in symptoms usually correspond to the building of new muscles to decrease compensations. Temporary relief can usually be achieved within a few visits but lasting changes is highly variable with factors such as how long you have had sciatic pain. What are the most common symptoms of Sciatica? Some of the most common symptoms are radiating pain down the backside of the leg. Symptoms will usually run north to south. If the symptoms are on the outside of your leg or down the front, it is usually a different issue. What is the best treatment for Sciatica outside of a physical therapy clinic? Massages to the hips and lower back are usually a great way to manage symptoms. Icing the hip and lower back when radiating symptoms are severe can usually decrease the symptoms. Acupuncture and dry needling are also good alternative treatments.