How to Find Relief From Sciatica
Have you been suffering from lower back pain that radiates into your buttocks and down your leg? You may be experiencing sciatica. At Rebound Fitness & Rehabilitation, our physical therapists are experts at treating sciatica and helping you find relief!
Sciatica, also referred to as “lumbar radiculopathy,” is a pain, numbness, or tingling that radiates from the lower back. The sciatic nerve extends from the lumbar spine through the area of the buttocks and down the legs into the toes, making it the largest nerve in the human body.
When this nerve becomes irritated, pain or paresthesias ensue. Typically the symptoms are felt in the lumbar area, down the leg behind the thigh and into the lower leg and foot.
The pain can make it difficult to sleep, sit, bend or walk. The most common cause of sciatica is lumbar disc herniation, but it can be caused by an injury or severe disc degeneration, as well.
Contact Rebound Fitness & Rehabilitation today to set up an appointment with one of our experts. We’ll provide you with the relief you need to live life comfortably once again!
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Patient Success Story
“Weekend warrior here. Love this place. Have diagnosed a few injuries over the few years and have helped me quickly recover and be active again. The team has been able to find the root cause of my injuries and have provided me exercises and stretches I incorporate into my own physical fitness routine. They really care about your well being and I’m so fortunate to have found this place.”
– N.R.
Understanding How to Treat Sciatica
Sciatica is diagnosed through a physical therapy evaluation that includes a thorough history and physical examination. Sometimes a CT scan or MRI may be used to confirm the physical therapist’s conclusions.
Once you are diagnosed with sciatica, a physical therapist will work with you to manage and relieve the condition. This includes:
- Reducing sciatica pain
- Improving motion
- Increasing strength
- Improving flexibility
- Educating you on how to sit, stand, bend, and twist
- Returning to normal activities
Targeted stretching and strengthening exercises are vital to treating sciatica pain. Our physical therapists will teach you an exercise program you can do at home to manage your pain.
Many exercises can help strengthen the muscles of the spinal column. Most of these exercises focus on improving your core. The core comprises muscles in the lower back, abdominals (stomach), gluteus (buttock), and hip muscles. Strong core muscles can provide pain relief because they support the spine, keeping it in alignment and facilitating movements that extend or twist the spine with less chance of injury or damage.
Targeted stretches for sciatica are designed to target restrictions in the joints and muscles that contribute to your pain. The initial assessment will help your therapist establish what’s known as a “directional preference,” meaning what helps the patient feel and move better. Your home program will focus on improving your pain and restoring your motion so you can resume the activities you enjoy!
How a Physical Therapist Can Help You
If you’re experiencing sciatica, contact one of our physical therapists immediately. Your physical therapist will perform a thorough physical examination and provide you with solutions that work based on their findings.
Your therapist will identify the best way to resolve your sciatica pain using directional preference and strengthening exercises. They will examine how you respond to specific movements and positions. These particular movements and positions become the starting point for treatment.
Next, your therapist will focus on areas where you struggle with weakness or develop compensations due to sciatica pain. These exercises will be targeting your core strength. In addition, your therapist will guide you through the postures that help alleviate your pain and minimize the risks of it returning.
As you progress and improve, your physical therapist will expand on your exercises and stretches by making them more intensive over time. This will help increase your overall strength and range of motion.
We will spend one-on-one time with you on each visit, using hands-on techniques that get the joints, muscles, and nerves moving again. We will also design a comprehensive exercise and education program to get you back to comfortably doing what you want to do.
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Call Today to Make an Appointment
Physical therapy can provide you with the treatment you need to alleviate your sciatica. If you are ready to get rid of your sciatica symptoms and enjoy your daily life free of pain, contact Rebound Fitness & Rehabilitation for relief.
We’ll provide you with an individualized treatment plan to help you get back to your everyday life as quickly as possible!
Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb. ground sausage
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- ¾ cup carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/3 cup flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 16 oz. potato gnocchi, in pasta aisle
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook and crumble to break it apart. Stir occasionally until cooked through, 7-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
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Add the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the brown bits from the bottom/sides of the pot, this will add more flavor to the soup. Bubble gently and reduce by half, about 4 minutes.
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Add the butter, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add the soy sauce, hot sauce, and seasonings and cook for 2 minutes.
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Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
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Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the heavy cream in the same manner. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
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Add the sausage back along with the gnocchi and simmer for about 5 minutes, refer to package instructions for exact cooking time.
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Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve!
Want To Ease Sciatic Pain? Get Moving!
While regular physical therapy at Rebound Fitness & Rehabilitation is the best way to resolve your sciatica, several simple at-home exercises can help resolve your pain as you work through your treatment plan. Our physical therapists will usually provide you with a personalized routine for your PT “homework.” The following are common exercises we might suggest and may help relieve pain between sessions. But make sure to check with your therapist before giving them a try!
Simple Exercises to Ease Sciatic Pain
Supine Piriformis Stretch
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, pointed toward the ceiling.
- Rest the ankle of your affected leg against your other thigh, forming a “four” shape with your legs.
- Gently pull your crossed leg sideways across your body until you feel the stretch in your affected glute.
- Hold for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the other side if you wish!
Cobra Stretch
- Lie down on your stomach with your hands on the floor in line with your shoulders and your elbows tucked into your body.
- Inhale and press into your palms to lift your head, chest, and shoulders off the ground. Don’t fully straighten your arms; make sure your chest stays lifted.
- Tighten your core muscles as you hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds.
- Gently lower back to the ground and repeat as needed.
Clamshell
- Hold for 5-10 seconds, then lower slowly. Complete as many clamshells as you’d like, but don’t forget to roll over and do the other side, too!
- Lie on one side with your knees slightly bent and your head resting on your bottom arm. You can press your top arm into the ground in front of you for support.
- Engage your core to help with stability.
- Keeping the feet together, gently lift your top knee so that your bent legs resemble the open mouth of a clam.
- Keep your torso still so you don’t roll backward.
