The pain in your leg starts in your spine.
Sciatica describes any pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve, from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg. The nerve itself is not the problem: it is being compressed or irritated by something else, most commonly a herniated disc, bone spur, or piriformis muscle.
Different causes of sciatica respond to very different treatments. Directional exercises that relieve disc-driven sciatica can worsen piriformis-driven sciatica. This is why accurate assessment matters so much before treatment begins.
The character of your leg pain tells us the cause.
Where the pain travels, what makes it better or worse, and whether it is accompanied by numbness or weakness all help identify the source and guide treatment direction.
Leg Pain Below Knee
Sharp, shooting, or burning pain that travels from the buttock past the knee and into the calf or foot.
Numbness and Tingling
Pins-and-needles sensation or numbness in the leg, calf, heel, or specific toes, following the nerve distribution.
Sitting Aggravation
Leg pain that worsens with prolonged sitting and improves with walking, characteristic of disc-driven sciatica.
Buttock Pain
Deep, aching or sharp pain in the buttock that may be the dominant symptom, particularly in piriformis syndrome.
Leg Weakness
Difficulty pushing off with the foot, raising the heel, or climbing stairs, indicating nerve compression with motor involvement.
Worse with Coughing
A sudden increase in leg pain with coughing, sneezing, or straining, strongly suggesting disc herniation as the source.
Find the source. Move the nerve. Resolve the pain.
Sciatica treatment at Athlete Pro Sports Medicine begins with a precise directional assessment to identify the specific cause and the movement direction that relieves versus worsens your symptoms. This determines everything about how we treat you.
Disc-driven sciatica typically responds to extension-based exercise and joint mobilization. Piriformis involvement responds to targeted stretching, dry needling, and hip mobility work. Neural mobilization techniques gently mobilize the nerve itself when adhesion is contributing.
No referral needed. Cash-pay: no visit limits, no prior authorizations, no insurance company deciding when you're done. In most cases, you can be seen within the same week.
What our patients say.
"Came in with consistent lower back pain. Taylor quickly identified issues through assessment. Personalized therapy plan got me back to moving pain-free!"Danielle W. · Lower Back Pain with Sciatica
Talk to a Specialist
No referral needed. Cash-pay, no insurance limits, no prior authorizations. Same-week appointments available.
Your first visit is a full, one-on-one evaluation: come in, tell us everything, and leave with a plan.
You’re all set.
We’ll reach out within one business day to confirm your appointment. If you need to speak with us sooner, call us directly.