Back Pain and Sciatica
Back pain is fairly common in the general public and at any given moment 23% of Americans will report having low back pain in the past three months. Often, the pain will go away on its own but for cases in which it does not resolve, a visit to a physical therapist can be beneficial.
- Sciatica: refers to pain that radiates down the leg along the path of the sciatic nerve. Usually only occurs on one side of the body. Symptoms:
- Pain that radiates from low back through buttocks and down the back of the leg
- Can feel like an electric shock
- Pain in affected leg
- Numbness/tingling in affected leg
How can physical therapy help?
Your physical therapist will do a thorough examination to uncover the underlying cause of your low back pain. Together with the therapist you will develop a specific plan of care usually consisting of hands on treatment, stretching, strengthening and education to address impairments found in the examination.
