Four reasons physical therapists want you to learn how to treat sciatica

How to Treat Sciatica

You bend over to check the mailbox, and ouch! There it is again. That shooting pain that runs from your lower back down the back of your leg. 

People who are dealing with this type of scenario likely have a condition called sciatica. This issue occurs when one of the sciatic nerves in the lower back becomes pinched or irritated, and it’s also very common among Americans. Annually, it affects about 5% of people, which means about 16.5 million Americans develop sciatica every year based on current population data. 

Learning how to treat sciatica effectively is something a physical therapist can help you with. There are several important reasons why physical therapists are so motivated to help you learn how to treat sciatica. 

These are four reasons why physical therapists want you to learn how to treat sciatica: 

  1. To empower and engage you — Physical therapists seek to create a relationship with their patients based on mutual knowledge and trust. In order to create such relationships, your physical therapist will educate you about sciatica and the treatments they use for it. This is intended to empower you by expanding your knowledge of your condition. The higher level of knowledge can also help you stay more engaged in the therapy process, which can increase its benefits. 
  1. To allow you to address at-home flare-ups — You can’t spend every waking moment in a physical therapist’s office. This means that, inevitably, you’ll have to deal with sciatica symptom flare-ups while you’re at home. 

Physical therapists can show you how to treat sciatica while you’re at home. Often, these treatment options include avoiding certain movements and doing some therapeutic exercises that your therapist recommends. 

  1. To help you heal faster — A greater understanding of your condition and treatment can help motivate you to put more effort into addressing your condition. You may find yourself working harder while you’re in your physical therapy sessions. In addition, you’re more likely to take the out-of-session treatment steps prescribed for you. This greater effort can be rewarded with a lower back that heals faster. 
  1. It might come back — Your physical therapist will likely take steps to help you learn how to avoid future sciatica, yet there’s always a possibility that you might develop this condition again. The knowledge you gain during sciatica treatment can help you deal with this possibility. It can help you recognize the condition quickly. You’ll also know where to turn for help and even how to start addressing your symptoms on your own. 

Find out how to treat sciatica effectively at SSOR

Keen to learn how to treat your sciatica effectively? Our team at Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation is ready and willing to help you meet this goal. We can do a free screening on you designed to point out underlying causes of your sciatica. Also, our specialists are adept at constructing therapy plans that are informative, engaging and uniquely fitted to your needs. Even better, you can sign up for at-home care or virtual care sessions with us that allow you to treat your condition from home. 

Contact us today for more information about how we can treat sciatica or to schedule your initial appointment.