Sciatica is one of the most common issues we treat in physical therapy, especially among active adults. It’s not just a “back problem”—sciatic nerve pain can affect your entire lower body. Why? Because the sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the human body, stretching from your lower back through the hips, glutes, hamstrings, and all the way into your lower leg and foot.
When something irritates or compresses this nerve, it can lead to pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness—anywhere along its path.
Sciatic Nerve Pain: A Highway with Potential Roadblocks
Think of your sciatic nerve like a long, busy highway. This “road” passes through many key areas of the body—your spine, hips, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Along the way, there can be roadblocks: tight muscles, joint dysfunction, or disc-related issues that compress or irritate the nerve.
Common culprits include:
- Disc herniations in the lower back
- Muscle tension in the glute or piriformis region
- Scar tissue or soft tissue restrictions further down the leg
That’s why sciatica symptoms can vary so much. You might feel pain in your lower back, or it could shoot all the way down to your foot. This is exactly why seeing a trained physical therapist is so important—we’re trained to find where the issue is actually coming from, not just treat where it hurts.
Nerves Need to Move: Why Mobility Matters
Many people are surprised to learn that nerves need to move just like muscles and joints. The sciatic nerve must be able to glide and slide as your body moves. If its mobility is restricted, you may feel sharp pain, tightness, or tingling, even when there’s no actual structural damage.
A good way to think about this is with a piece of dental floss. If you gently pull one side of the floss while holding the other still, it moves freely. But if it gets stuck somewhere along the path, tension builds. The same can happen with your nerves.
Restoring nerve mobility is a key part of an effective physical therapy plan for sciatica.
Physical Therapy Techniques for Sciatica Relief
At Cohen Health and Performance, we often use nerve gliding exercises as part of a broader physical therapy program. These movements help restore the sciatic nerve’s ability to move through the tissues without restriction, reducing pain and improving function.
Here are two examples we often prescribe:
1. Supine Nerve Glide (Lying Down)
- Repeat for 20 reps, 1–2 times a day.
2. Standing Nerve Slide (More Advanced)
- Repeat for 15–20 reps.
These drills are gentle and should not be painful. They’re just one piece of a complete physical therapy approach designed to restore movement and reduce irritation of the sciatic nerve.
When to Seek Physical Therapy for Sciatica
If you’re experiencing any of the following, physical therapy can help:
- Pain that radiates down your leg
- Numbness or tingling in your lower body
- Difficulty sitting, standing, or walking without discomfort
- Weakness in your leg or foot
An experienced physical therapist can assess your mobility, strength, posture, and movement patterns to find the source of the problem—not just the symptoms. From there, we create a custom treatment plan to get you back to moving pain-free.
Take Control of Your Recovery
Sciatica doesn’t have to sideline you from the activities you love. With targeted physical therapy, many active adults see significant improvements in just a few sessions. Whether your goal is to get back to the gym, return to the tennis court, or simply move without pain—physical therapy can help you get there.
Need Help with Sciatica?
Book a evaluation with our team at Cohen Health and Performance here. We specialize in helping active adults and athletes resolve pain, improve movement, and get back to doing what they love—without limitations.
