Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only. Always consult a qualified health professional for advice specific to your condition. © 2026 Better Physiotherapy Bundoora.
Sciatica causes pain that radiates from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg — sometimes reaching the foot. It can feel like a sharp electric shock, a burning sensation, or a constant dull ache, often accompanied by tingling or numbness. Sciatica is one of the most searched physiotherapy conditions in Australia, and for good reason: it responds exceptionally well to physiotherapy.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is not a diagnosis in itself — it is a symptom caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, running from the lower spine through the buttock and down the back of each leg. When this nerve is compressed or inflamed, it produces the characteristic radiating leg pain.
The most common causes include:
- Disc bulge or herniation — the most frequent cause in younger adults. A bulging disc in the lower spine presses on the nerve root that forms part of the sciatic nerve.
- Spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal, more common in adults over 60, compressing the nerve as it exits the spine
- Piriformis syndrome — the piriformis muscle in the buttock can compress the sciatic nerve, particularly in runners and cyclists
- Degenerative disc disease — age-related disc changes that reduce disc height and narrow the space available for the nerve
Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica typically affects one leg at a time. Classic symptoms include:
- Pain radiating from the lower back or buttock down the back of the leg
- Pain that typically runs below the knee into the calf or foot
- Tingling or "pins and needles" in the leg, foot, or toes
- Numbness in the leg or foot
- Muscle weakness in the leg or foot (in more severe cases)
- Pain that worsens with prolonged sitting, coughing, or sneezing
How Physiotherapy Treats Sciatica
Physiotherapy addresses both the immediate nerve irritation and the underlying cause. Treatment at Better Physiotherapy Bundoora typically includes:
- Neural mobilisation (nerve flossing) — gentle techniques to mobilise the sciatic nerve and reduce its sensitivity
- Spinal manual therapy — joint mobilisation and soft tissue treatment of the lumbar spine to reduce disc and joint pressure on the nerve
- Targeted exercise — core stability and lumbar spine exercises that reduce pressure on the affected disc or nerve root
- Postural education — understanding which positions aggravate the nerve and how to modify daily activities during recovery
- Dry needling — particularly useful for piriformis-related sciatica and muscle spasm around the nerve
What to Do (and Not Do) with Sciatica
Do: keep gently moving, apply heat to the lower back, take short walks, see a physiotherapist early.
Don't: rest completely in bed, ignore worsening symptoms, try to "push through" increasing numbness or weakness.
Seek urgent medical care if you experience:
- • Loss of bladder or bowel control alongside leg pain
- • Numbness in the groin or inner thighs (saddle anaesthesia)
- • Sudden severe weakness in both legs
- • Sciatica after a significant fall or accident
These may indicate cauda equina syndrome — a medical emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does physiotherapy actually help sciatica?
Yes. Evidence consistently shows physiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for sciatica — producing better outcomes than rest, anti-inflammatory medication, or injections alone. Neural mobilisation and targeted exercise are particularly effective.
How long will sciatica take to resolve?
Acute sciatica from a disc bulge typically improves significantly within 4–8 weeks of physiotherapy. Chronic sciatica may take 3–6 months. Severity of nerve compression, consistency with the home program, and how long you've had symptoms all affect recovery time.
Will I need surgery for sciatica?
Unlikely. More than 80% of sciatica cases resolve without surgery with appropriate physiotherapy. Surgical referral is only recommended if there is progressive muscle weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or failure to improve after a thorough trial of conservative care.
What is the difference between sciatica and referred back pain?
True sciatica involves irritation of the sciatic nerve itself, causing pain, tingling, or numbness that typically runs below the knee into the foot. Referred back pain is a dull, aching pain in the buttock or thigh from spinal joints or muscles, but without nerve-type symptoms. Your physiotherapist will distinguish between the two at your assessment.
Ashley Haleel
Physiotherapist & Owner — Better Physiotherapy Bundoora