Sciatica is one of the most commonly searched musculoskeletal conditions online,¹ and also one of the most misunderstood. People use the word loosely to describe almost any pain that runs down the leg, but the term has a specific meaning, and understanding it properly makes a real difference to how you recover.
What Sciatica Actually Is
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It runs from the lower spine, through the buttock, down the back of each leg, and into the foot. Sciatica refers to pain that travels along this path, caused by irritation or compression of the nerve somewhere along its route.
The most common source is the lower spine, where a disc can bulge or herniate and press against the nerve root. But it can also originate in the piriformis muscle deep in the buttock, which sits directly over the sciatic nerve and can compress it when tight or inflamed. Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal, is another cause, particularly in older adults.
The symptoms vary depending on where the nerve is being affected. Classic sciatica produces a shooting, burning, or electric pain that travels from the lower back or buttock down the leg. It can be accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness. In most cases it affects one side only.
What Doesn’t Help
The instinct for most people is to rest. Stop moving, wait for it to calm down, and hope it passes. And while a short period of reduced activity makes sense in the acute phase, prolonged rest is one of the worst things for sciatica.
The sciatic nerve needs movement to stay healthy. Immobility allows inflammation to build, stiffness to set in, and the surrounding muscles to weaken, which often puts more pressure on the nerve, not less. People who rest for weeks often find themselves in more pain, not less, than when they started.
Dismissing it as “just sciatica” and pushing through without any guidance isn’t helpful either. Sciatica that goes unaddressed can become chronic, and chronic nerve pain is significantly harder to treat than acute nerve pain.
What Actually Helps
The evidence for physiotherapy in sciatica is strong. A good assessment will identify where the nerve is being compressed and why, and treatment will be tailored accordingly.
Specific movement and exercise that gently mobilises the nerve, reduces compression, and strengthens the structures supporting the spine is usually central to recovery. Education matters too: understanding what is happening and why certain movements are safe, even when they feel uncomfortable, helps people stay active and avoid the fear-avoidance cycle that makes sciatica worse.
Most cases of sciatica do resolve with the right approach. The key is addressing it properly rather than waiting and hoping.
At Belvedere Clinic, sciatica is something we treat regularly. If you’ve been dealing with shooting leg pain and aren’t sure what to do next, a proper assessment is always the right starting point.
¹ Nori P, et al. Googling Musculoskeletal-Related Pain and Ranking of Medical Associations’ Patient Information Pages: Google Ads Keyword Planner Analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2020. PMC7455867
