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Sciatica Is a Description, Not a Cause
Sciatica describes pain that follows the path of the sciatic nerve, usually running from the lower back or buttock into the back of the thigh, and in some cases past the knee into the calf or foot. Some people feel a sharp line of pain. Others describe pins and needles, numbness, burning, or a leg that feels heavy and unreliable when they stand up after sitting.
What it does not tell you is why. The same set of symptoms can come from very different places, which is why two people with "sciatica" may need two very different plans.
Here at Reformative Health, the first job is working out what may be irritating or compressing the nerve in your particular case, because that is what shapes the treatment.
How Dr Samantha Evans Approaches Sciatica
Dr Samantha Evans is an osteopath holding a Master of Osteopathic Medicine, and has spent eight years as a sports trainer for AFL and VFL umpires. Your assessment covers your history and the behaviour of your symptoms, including what makes them better and worse, a neurological screen where it is appropriate, and a movement assessment through your lower back, pelvis and hips. Sam will also check for the signs that call for medical review or imaging rather than hands-on care.
You will leave your first appointment understanding what the assessment found and what the plan is, rather than a vague sense that something was done.
What Treatment May Involve
Treatment here is hands-on and built around what your assessment shows. Depending on your presentation, Sam may use joint mobilisation through the lower back, pelvis and hips, soft tissue work and myofascial release through the gluteal and hip muscles, and dry needling where it is suitable for you.
Alongside that, we look at what is loading the area for the rest of the week. That might mean changing how you sit, how you set up the car for a long drive, how you lift at work, or how you return to running. Our Move With Me library gives you guided movement to work on between appointments.
Because symptoms like these can be slow to settle and often fluctuate, Sam will give you a realistic picture of what to expect and review it as you go, rather than committing you to a set number of visits upfront.
When Leg Pain Needs Prompt Medical Review
Most sciatica is musculoskeletal, but some symptoms need medical attention straight away. Please seek urgent medical care if you notice numbness around the groin or inner thighs, loss of bladder or bowel control, progressive weakness in a leg or foot, or leg pain alongside unexplained weight loss or fever.
Recognising when symptoms sit outside our scope is part of a thorough osteopathic assessment, and we will refer you on when that is the right call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an osteopath help with sciatica
Osteopathy may help where your symptoms have a musculoskeletal contributor, which covers a large portion of sciatica presentations. Sam assesses what may be irritating the nerve in your case, then builds a plan around that rather than treating the leg in isolation.
Do I need a scan before I come in?
Not usually. Imaging is helpful in specific situations rather than as a starting point, partly because disc changes show up on scans in plenty of people with no symptoms at all. If your assessment suggests a scan would change your management, Sam will recommend one. If you already have scans, bring them and their reports.
Is sciatica the same as back pain
Not quite. Back pain is felt in the back, while sciatica refers down the leg along the nerve path. They often occur together, and you can read more on our back pain page, but leg-dominant symptoms usually need a different assessment focus.
Where is your clinic?
We are located at Unit 2/8 Flint Court, Varsity Lakes QLD 4227, inside Fit Life Boot Camp, serving the southern Gold Coast including Robina and Burleigh Heads.
Get In Touch With Us
If you'd like to book an appointment, or just ask our team a question, simply fill in the form below and we will be in touch very soon.