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physical therapy for sciatica

Physical Therapy for Sciatica

If you’re experiencing the radiating pain, numbness, or tingling of sciatica, starting physical therapy for sciatica is a vital step toward relief. At Wells Physical Therapy, we specialize in providing personalized in home sciatica treatment directly to you.

Our skilled physical therapy team serves patients throughout Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, as well as Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, Nocatee, and St. Augustine. We’re here to be your partner, guiding you through every step of your recovery so you can safely and confidently get back to the life you love.

Contact us
Call: (904) 568-1156
American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities
APTA logo
NSCA CSCS Certified
titleist certified
Dr Sean Wells of Wells Physical Therapy

Owner, Dr. Sean M. Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, Cert. DN

Expert Treatment for Sciatica

Discover the Wells Physical Therapy Difference

  • Over 15 Years of Dedicated Experience: Our skilled physical therapists have over a decade of experience providing top-tier rehabilitation, specializing in helping patients with treatment for sciatica to include nerve compression and radiating pain.
  • Concierge In Home Care: Our mobile physical therapy services bring expert rehabilitation directly to you. We eliminate the stress of travel and allow you to recover in the comfort and safety of your own home.
  • Work Directly with Your Physical Therapist: You will receive direct, one-on-one care from a licensed Physical Therapist, not an assistant. Your dedicated PT will focus exclusively on your needs, guiding you through every step of your recovery.
  • Cash-Pay Practice: Our focus is on your progress, not on insurance limitations. This model allows us to create a personalized, comprehensive plan that prioritizes your recovery timeline and goals. (Superbills are available for potential “out-of-network” reimbursement; Medicare is not accepted.)
  • Personalized, Research-Backed Care: Every session is strictly one-on-one, grounded in the latest evidence to reduce your pain, improve your spinal function, and restore your overall mobility.
Physical Therapy Exercises for Sciatica

Physical Therapy Exercises for Sciatica 

A therapist will prescribe a combination of manual therapy and exercise, with a treatment for sciatica plan customized to your specific symptoms and the underlying cause. Commitment and consistency are vital for a successful outcome. Our therapists are trained in a variety of techniques that can help you find relief:

  • Manual Therapy Techniques: Our therapists use hands-on methods to treat your pain. This may include joint mobilization, soft tissue release, and dry needling to reduce muscle tension, improve joint movement, and alleviate discomfort.
  • Nerve Gliding Exercises: We will teach you gentle, controlled movements to help the sciatic nerve glide freely, which can significantly reduce radiating symptoms into the leg.
  • Strengthening and Flexibility: Your program will include bodyweight and resistance exercises to strengthen your core, hips, and glutes. These muscles are essential for stabilizing your spine. We will also focus on stretches to improve your overall flexibility.
  • Functional Retraining: We will help you retrain proper movement patterns for daily activities like bending, lifting, and carrying, so you can perform them safely and without pain.
PT exercises for sciatica

Lifestyle and Postural Modifications

 In addition to physical therapy for sciatica and specific exercises, making adjustments to your daily routine is essential for treating and preventing sciatica. We will provide guidance on: 

  • Correct Posture: Learning how to sit, stand, and walk with proper spinal alignment can significantly reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve.
  • Ergonomic Support: We’ll help you assess your home and office environment for a more ergonomically-friendly setup to support your spine.
  • Importance of Movement: While rest can be helpful for a day or two during a severe flare-up, prolonged inactivity is generally not advised. Regular, gentle movement is important to promote blood flow and healing.

The Goals of Physical Therapy and Exercise for Sciatica

Physical therapy for sciatica and a tailored exercise plan are the most effective initial treatments for relieving and preventing sciatica symptoms. A physical therapist may help by:

  • Providing immediate symptom relief.
  • Reducing muscle spasm and inflammation.
  • Restoring pain-free movement.
  • Improving mobility of the lower body.

What Causes Sciatica? 

Sciatica is a symptom—pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling that travels along the sciatic nerve pathway—rather than a condition itself. It is caused by the irritation, compression, or pinching of the sciatic nerve roots in the lower spine. The conditions most commonly linked to and responsible for causing sciatica include: 

  • Strengthening the muscles of your core, back, and hips to support the spine.
  • Preventing future pain flare-ups and reducing the fear associated with movement.

Common Spinal Conditions 

  • Herniated (or Slipped) Disc: This is the most common cause, present in about 90% of cases. It occurs when the soft center of a spinal disc pushes through a tear in the tough outer ring, putting direct pressure on a nerve root.
  • Spinal Stenosis (Lumbar Spinal Stenosis): A narrowing of the spinal canal, which can put pressure on the spinal cord and the nerve roots. This is more common in older adults due to age-related wear and tear.
  • Degenerative Disc Disease: The natural breakdown and wear of the spinal discs over time, leading to inflammation and structural changes that can compress a nerve root.
  • Spondylolisthesis: A condition where one vertebra slips forward over the one below it, potentially pinching the sciatic nerve root.
  • Osteoarthritis: Age-related wear-and-tear that can lead to the formation of bone spurs (osteophytes) on the spine. These bone spurs can press on the nerves.

Conditions Outside the Spine

  • Piriformis Syndrome: This occurs when the piriformis muscle, a muscle located deep in the buttocks, spasms or tightens and compresses the sciatic nerve that runs near or through it.
  • Trauma/Injury: Any direct injury to the lower back, pelvis, or buttocks, such as from a car accident or a fall, can damage or compress the sciatic nerve.
  • Infection or Abscess: Although rare, an infection or abscess near the spine can create a mass that presses on the nerve roots.
  • Tumors or Cysts: Very rarely, growths on the spine or along the sciatic nerve can cause compression.
  • Pregnancy: The weight of the developing fetus and hormonal changes can put pressure on the sciatic nerve or cause pelvic misalignment, leading to temporary sciatica.
Ready to take the next step in your recovery and start physical therapy for sciatica pain?

Contact Wells Physical Therapy today to schedule your first in-home physical therapy session. We proudly offer our services to patients in Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island, and also in Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, Nocatee, and St. Augustine. No travel, no stress—just expert care when you need it most.

Southwest Florida: Naples, Bonita Springs and more

  • In-home therapy services in Southwest Florida, including Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island and the surrounding areas.

Southeast Florida: West Palm Beach, Jupiter Island

  • In-home therapy services in Southeast Florida, including West Palm Beach, Jupiter Island and the surrounding areas.

Northeast Florida: Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville

  • In-home therapy services in Northeast Florida, including Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, Palm Coast and the surrounding areas.
Contact us
Call: (904) 568-1156

I had horrible pain shooting down my legs and after two visits with Wells Physical Therapy it was gone.

-Shauna, Naples, FL

I had severe back pain before treatment. Now, after only 3 sessions with Dr. Otto, I’m back to feeling good.

-Alison, Naples, FL

I had a surf trip planned to Nicaragua that I thought would have to cancel due to cervical issues and radiculopathy, but Dr. Wells came to the rescue once again.

-David, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Dr. Wells and his team have literally changed my outlook on life with my Ehlers Danlos neck hyperflexibility to strengthen my neck.

-Whitney, Jacksonville, FL

My 87 year old father-in-law has seen a reduction in pain and has greater strength and function. The exercises that Wells PT provided are effective and have helped him get so much stronger.

-Sharon, Saint Augustine Beach, FL

Stephen was a Godsend getting me back on my feet and doing the activities I love in a fraction of the time I had anticipated based on previous incidents when I injured my back.

-Steven, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL