Sciatica

What people notice

Signs that bring people in.

• Pain running from the lower back into the buttock and down the leg
• Pins and needles or numbness through the calf or foot
• A sharp catch when standing from a seated position
• Symptoms worsening after long periods sitting still
• Weakness or a heavy feeling in one leg

How we approach it.

Sciatica is named directly on InTouch's own list of the musculoskeletal problems the clinic treats. It is a description of a symptom pattern rather than a single diagnosis, which is exactly why the assessment matters more than the label.

The clinic's approach is to work out what is actually irritating the nerve path before treating it, then combine hands-on care with rehabilitation that addresses why the load kept landing there.

What tends to be behind it.

Rarely one thing. These are the contributors the exam looks for, and the reason the assessment covers more than the spot that hurts.

1. 01

   Lumbar joint irritation

   Restriction or irritation in the lower spinal segments can refer symptoms along the nerve path into the leg.

2. 02

   Deep gluteal tension

   Sustained tightness through the deep hip muscles can compress or irritate the nerve as it passes through.

3. 03

   Sustained flexed postures

   Long spells sitting, particularly while driving, keep the lower spine loaded in one position.

4. 04

   Unresolved earlier injury

   An old back or hip injury that never fully rehabilitated leaves movement patterns that concentrate load in the same place.

InTouch is an integrated rehabilitation centre. Care here is directed at restoring movement and function, and every plan begins with an individual assessment rather than an assumption about your diagnosis.