Does physiotherapy treat sciatica?

Sciatica describes pain or altered sensation travelling along the sciatic nerve, often from the lower back through the buttock and leg. It can include burning pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness. A physiotherapist assesses your back, hips, walking pattern, reflex-related movement, strength, and how symptoms respond to positions. Treatment may use gentle movement, trunk and hip strengthening, nerve-friendly mobility, education about pacing, and a graded return to normal tasks. The plan changes if a movement increases leg symptoms.

Arrange a clinical assessment if leg pain is limiting walking, sleep, work, or exercise, especially when symptoms persist or recur. Keep moving in short, manageable periods and change position regularly. Use the exercises and activity modifications provided for your pattern rather than copying a routine intended for someone else. Avoid sudden heavy lifting and stop an exercise that causes spreading pain, increasing numbness, or new weakness.

Seek emergency care for new bladder or bowel problems, numbness around the saddle area, or severe or progressing weakness in both legs. Urgent review is needed for rapidly worsening weakness, fever with back pain, serious trauma, or back pain with a history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.

What might be irritating the nerve in my case? Which positions should I use or avoid? How should I pace walking and lifting? What changes in strength or sensation require urgent review?