Physical therapy
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Sciatica is pain that occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated, so the pain shoots or burns from the lower back and buttock down the back of the leg. For most people, relief comes from movement, gentle stretching (especially of the piriformis muscle) and avoiding long periods of sitting, while bed rest usually makes things worse. If the pain doesn’t ease or you develop weakness and numbness in your leg, at Fizio Spa in the centre of Zrenjanin we first assess the cause and then put together an exercise and therapy plan just for you.
We explain how to recognise sciatica, which exercises and stretches help most often, what’s best avoided and when it’s time to see a specialist. This is an educational guide that gives you a clear direction, but it doesn’t replace a professional examination.
Sciatica isn’t a disease in itself. It is a set of symptoms that appear when something compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body. It starts in the lower spine, runs through the pelvis and buttock and down the leg. The most common causes are a herniated disc, narrowing of the spinal canal or a tight piriformis muscle that lies right over the nerve. That’s why the real cause is confirmed through an assessment, not guesswork.
Typical sciatica feels like a sharp, shooting or burning pain that runs from the back or buttock down the back of one leg, sometimes all the way to the calf or foot. The pain is often accompanied by numbness, tingling or weakness in the leg. It usually affects one side and gets worse when sitting, coughing or leaning forward. If symptoms appear in both legs at the same time, that’s a reason to see a doctor sooner.
The aim of the exercises is to gently reduce pressure on the nerve, relax the muscles around the hip and restore mobility in the lower back. Do them slowly, without sudden movements and always within a pain-free range. If an exercise increases the shooting pain down your leg, that’s a sign to stop. We most often recommend these three exercises as a safe start, and you can do them once or twice a day.
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Slowly pull one knee towards your chest, wrap your arms around it and hold for about 20 to 30 seconds, then switch legs. This exercise gently stretches the lower back and buttocks and reduces tension around the nerve. Breathe calmly and don’t hold your breath.
Because a tight piriformis muscle often presses on the sciatic nerve, this stretch brings noticeable relief to many people. Lie on your back, cross the ankle of your painful leg over the opposite knee so that your legs form the shape of a number four, then use your hands to gently pull the healthy leg towards you until you feel a stretch in your buttock. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat two or three times. You shouldn’t feel sharp pain, only a comfortable stretch.
On all fours, alternately arch and relax your lower back gently (the cat-camel movement), in a small range, as much as feels comfortable. The gentle movement restores mobility to the spine and reduces stiffness, especially in the morning. Keep the movement soft and don’t go into end positions if they don’t feel good.
With sciatica, prolonged bed rest does the most harm, because the muscles weaken and stiffen, so the pain often lasts longer. Also avoid sitting for long periods without a break, lifting heavy objects suddenly, and intense ab exercises or deep forward bends while the acute pain lasts. Heat and gentle movement are usually more comfortable than complete rest. Don’t force stretching through pain, as this can further irritate the nerve.
If the pain lasts longer than a few weeks, keeps coming back or disrupts your sleep and daily routine, it’s time for a professional assessment and targeted physical therapy. A physiotherapist will determine the cause and put together a plan of exercises, therapy and, if needed, chiropractic, tailored to what the assessment shows. However, see a doctor immediately if you notice marked weakness or numbness in your leg, loss of sensation in the buttock area or difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels. These are signs that shouldn’t wait.
Troubled by pain shooting down your leg? Tell us how and when it occurs, and we’ll assess the cause and suggest the exercise and therapy plan that suits you best.
With us, it starts with a short assessment so we understand where the pain comes from and what makes it worse. Based on that, we create a plan that combines manual techniques, physical therapy and exercises you learn to do at home. Fizio Spa is located in the very centre of Zrenjanin, at Trg Slobode 3, in hotel Vojvodina; we have 20 years of experience behind us and a 5.0 rating based on more than 2.729 reviews. You can see treatment prices and durations in the price list, and for advice feel free to write to us.
For most people, mild sciatica settles within a few weeks with movement, gentle exercises and avoiding anything that makes the pain worse. If the pain lasts longer than a few weeks or gets worse, a professional assessment is needed.
Yes, gentle walking is usually helpful because it maintains mobility and circulation, while long periods of lying down usually make things worse. If walking greatly increases the pain down your leg, shorten the distance and consult a physiotherapist.
The most helpful are usually gentle piriformis stretches, knee-to-chest pulls and light mobilisation of the lower back. Exercises should be pain-free, and the right choice depends on the cause, so it is best confirmed with a physiotherapist.
See a doctor immediately if you have weakness or numbness in your leg, loss of sensation in the seat area, or difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels. These are signs that require urgent assessment.
Massage and physical therapy can ease muscle tension around the hip and lower back and relieve pain, but they do not replace an assessment of the cause. At Fizio Spa we first assess what is causing the pain, and only then recommend treatment.
Book an assessment with our physiotherapists and we will determine the cause and put together a plan of exercises and therapy. Your appointment confirmation arrives by email straight away.
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