Health

Why It Is So Important To Consider Physical Therapy To Manage Your Sciatica

Studies suggest that sciatica may affect up to 40% of people at some point in their lives. Those who are part of this group can vividly describe the symptoms — debilitating pain and numbness affecting areas such as the leg, back, and hip. This pain typically emerges on one side of the body and can rob you of your mobility and independence — but luckily, Westlake physical therapy can help. A physical therapist who specializes in sciatica will be able to help you alleviate nerve pain and overcome the symptoms that affect your daily life.

Reducing the Unbearable Back Pain

Many people struggle with back pain and wonder whether they are experiencing sciatica. The defining characteristic of sciatica is clear, though — excruciating pain that can render you temporarily disabled. In some cases, it can even lead to the loss of bowel and bladder control. These symptoms are caused when the sciatic nerve is compressed, irritated, or injured. The sciatic nerve runs through your lower back, through the buttocks, and branches into the legs.

There are plenty of treatment options that claim to offer miraculous pain relief to sciatica sufferers, but none of these solutions offer the proven results that physical therapy in San Marcos can provide. Physical therapists are expertly trained to understand the complex musculature and nerve systems of the human body, so they are well-equipped to help people like you overcome ailments such as sciatica and other nerve and muscle injuries.

This is incredibly important when it comes to reducing the daily back pain that often accompanies sciatica. If you struggle to stand up or walk for prolonged periods — or you require hot or cold therapy before you can even get out of bed — mitigating these symptoms is essential to restoring your quality of life. In conjunction with a physical therapist, you can implement a tailor-made treatment regimen that will target your back pain, strengthen your muscles, and release the hold that sciatica has on your life.

Increasing the Flexibility of Your Back

Pain isn’t the only major symptom that’s associated with sciatica. Many people also report that they experience persistent stiffness throughout the day that makes it difficult to move around comfortably. Physical therapy is the best option for addressing immobility issues. Through stretching, exercise, and other low-impact therapies, you’ll be able to regain flexibility and reduce discomfort.

Supine spine twists are one of the best stretches for improving your back’s flexibility. This exercise involves lying flat on your back, stabilizing your body by stretching your arms outward, and lifting your knees to create a right angle. You can then move your legs to each side of your body, slowly stretching your muscles. This will stretch the muscles that surround the sciatic nerve and help tight, uncomfortable muscles move more freely.

Find the right provider for physical therapy in Austin, TX. Sciatica can be debilitating, but physical therapy can provide proven treatment to help you eliminate pain from your life. Partner with a practitioner to formulate your own sciatica treatment plan.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button