Do you or a loved one suffer from sciatica? Did you know physical therapy can provide long-term relief when kept up regularly? Here, we will discuss the benefits of incorporating physical therapy into your sciatica treatment.
At P3 Physical Therapy, located in El Paso, TX, we offer multiple services, including, but not limited to, sciatica treatment, post-surgery rehab, and dry needling. We pride ourselves on our one-on-one physical therapy treatments and can ensure that you will see progress when working with our staff. For more information, contact us at (915) 444-5200.
Sciatica Treatment Goals
Physical therapy is beneficial for most chronic conditions, including sciatica. The focus of physical therapy in sciatica treatment is to strengthen your hip and back muscles. The goals for sciatica treatment through PT are as follows:
- Relieve thigh, leg, buttock, and lower back pain.
- Restoring function in your sacroiliac joint and lumbar spine.
- Create a better healing environment in your lower back.
- Prevent future flare-ups and reduce fear in movement.
- Create pain-free movements.
- Reduce/prevent muscle spasms.
- Improve lower body mobility.
- Encourage neurological adaptations to reduce pain perception.
It’s important to keep up with your physical therapy to progress your sciatica treatment further. Commitment and consistency are key factors in a successful outcome for battling sciatica or any condition for that matter.
Exercises and Techniques
Your physical therapist may combine multiple techniques to better your chances of living with your sciatica. The exercises chosen for your sciatica treatment will depend on the underlying cause and your pain level. Common techniques that your therapist may incorporate into your treatment are listed below.
- The McKenzie Method- Directional movements to identify/treat the source of pain in joints, muscles, and/or the spine. This technique focuses on moving the pain (through exercise) closer to the spine to centralize it with the goal of improving symptoms.
- Back Exercises- Back exercises relieve pain by promoting spine movement. Your physical therapist will determine what kind of directional movement you prefer and assign your specific exercises catered to it. Backward and forward bending is a big part of this sciatica treatment.
- Functional Retraining- This involves reintroducing common movements into your sciatica treatment including lifting, carrying, squatting, or bending. This can help you avoid reinjury and reduce your overall pain levels. Functional retraining can help you get back into your daily routine without having to worry about the obstacle of pain.
- Strengthening Exercises- Bodyweight and resistance exercises are helpful techniques to incorporate into your sciatica treatment. The goal is to strengthen your legs, abdomen, lower back, and hips. There are two different types of strengthening exercises: isometric and isotonic. Isometric techniques are the contracting of muscles without joint movement. Isotonic techniques are the contracting of muscles to resist a constant load.
Sciatica Treatment in El Paso
At P3 Physical Therapy, our El Paso sciatica treatment techniques are guaranteed to reduce your pain and improve your mobility. If you’re interested in our therapy options, call (915) 444-5200 today!
