Bending over to pick up a pen you dropped. Playing piggyback with your kids or grandkids. Sitting for long hours during a family car trip. Each of these common activities can be exponentially harder if you have a back issue called sciatica.
Sciatica occurs when one of the sciatic nerves in your lower back is pinched or irritated. This issue is one of the most common sources of back pain, and it’s estimated that up to 5% of Americans experience sciatica annually.
Physical therapy is an option that can help people treat the pain of sciatica. There are two different types of therapy that your physical therapist could use during your sessions. Having a physical therapist who utilizes both types is ideal when you’re seeking to decrease your sciatica symptoms.
The two types of physical therapy commonly used to treat sciatica pain
Effective sciatica pain treatment often includes two main types of physical therapy: active therapy and passive therapy. Active therapy requires you to move around for it to work correctly. Types of active therapy that your physical therapist may decide to use in your sciatica treatment plan include:
- Stretching
- Back-focused strengthening exercises
- Low-impact aerobic conditioning
- Blood flow moderation training
- Athletic performance training
Unlike active therapy, passive therapy doesn’t require that you move at all. Your physical therapist may manipulate your joints and muscles during passive therapy exercises, but you won’t have to move them.
Some types of passive therapy that physical therapists commonly use when working with sciatica patients include:
- Manual therapy — A category of therapy methods that involve your physical therapist using their hands to manipulate and mobilize joints and soft tissue
- Functional dry needling — Involves your physical therapist using thin needles to create a twitch response in tense soft tissue. This response can help break down the trigger points that are causing the tension.
Find beneficial treatment for sciatica pain at Border Therapy Services
By using both active and passive therapy, our physical therapists at Border Therapy Services can create a sciatica treatment plan that can help you address your pain. We offer free screenings that can reveal the cause of your sciatica. Our team can then create a personalized therapy plan to reduce your pain and address the underlying cause of your sciatica.
Can’t come in to see us in person? That’s OK! Our physical therapists offer several therapy services that you can use from home, including at-home care and virtual therapy sessions. We can also help you get the therapy you need even if you don’t have a doctor’s referral.
Contact us today for more information about the therapy services we offer for sciatica or to schedule an initial appointment.