What’s Causing Your Low Back Pain or Sciatica?
Watch our orthopedic physical therapy team explain common causes of low back pain, sciatica, and symptoms that travel into the hip or leg and how physical therapy can help you move with less pain and more confidence.
Low Back Pain & Sciatica: Common Causes, Symptoms, and How Physical Therapy Can Help
Low back pain is incredibly common, but that doesn't mean you have to simply live with it. Whether you're experiencing an aching or stiff lower back, pain around the hip, or nerve or pain symptoms that travel into your leg, these can all interfere with work, exercise, sleep, and everyday activities.
Low back pain can have many causes, including muscle or joint irritation, changes in strength or mobility, disc injuries, and nerve irritation. Physical therapy can help identify what's contributing to your symptoms and create a personalized plan to help you move and feel better.
What Causes Low Back Pain & Sciatica?
Low back pain may develop gradually or begin suddenly after an injury, unfamiliar movement, or change in activity. Common contributing factors can include:
- Muscle or joint irritation
- Changes in strength or mobility
- Repetitive movements or overuse
- Disc irritation or herniation
- Nerve irritation or compression
- Previous injuries
- Sudden changes in exercise or activity
Sciatica typically causes symptoms that travel from the lower back or buttock into the hip or leg. You may experience sharp or burning pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Disc herniation, lumbar radiculopathy, or hip muscle spasms can also contribute to symptoms that extend into the leg. Because several conditions can cause similar symptoms, a thorough evaluation can help determine what's contributing to your pain.
What Are the Signs of Low Back Pain & Sciatica?
Symptoms vary from person to person and may include:
- Aching or stiffness in the lower back
- Hip or buttock pain
- Sharp, burning, or shooting pain into the leg
- Numbness or tingling
- Leg weakness
- Pain with sitting, standing, bending, or lifting
- Difficulty walking, exercising, working, or sleeping comfortably
If symptoms are persistent, recurring, or limiting your normal activities, it may be time to have them evaluated.
How Can Physical Therapy Help?
Physical therapy looks beyond simply where you hurt. Your physical therapist will assess your symptoms, movement, strength, mobility, and goals to identify factors that may be contributing to your pain.
Your personalized treatment plan may include:
- Mobility and flexibility exercises
- Progressive strengthening
- Core and trunk stabilization
- Manual therapy
- Movement and lifting strategies
- Nerve mobility exercises when appropriate
- Education and symptom-management strategies
- A personalized home exercise program
Our goal is not only to help reduce pain, but also to improve how you move and give you the strength and confidence to return to the activities that matter to you.
When Should You Seek Help?
Consider scheduling an evaluation if you're experiencing persistent or recurring back pain, symptoms traveling into your hip or leg, numbness or tingling, or pain that's interfering with work, exercise, sleep, or everyday activities.
Seek prompt medical attention for severe or rapidly worsening weakness, new loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness around the groin or saddle area, or symptoms following significant trauma.
At Prosper, we'll take the time to understand your symptoms, how they're affecting your life, and what you want to get back to doing. From there, we'll create an individualized treatment plan to help you move better, feel stronger, and return to the activities you love.
Clinically reviewed by [Orthopedic PT Name], PT, DPT
Common Causes of Low Back Pain & Sciatica
Muscle & Joint Pain
Sciatica
Disc Herniation
Lumbar Radiculopathy
Hip & Low Back Dysfunction
When Should You Seek Help for Low Back Pain & Sciatica?
Low back pain and sciatica are common, but persistent or recurring symptoms shouldn't keep you from the activities you enjoy. Consider seeing a physical therapist if you're experiencing:
- Low back pain that isn't improving or keeps coming back
- Pain that travels into your hip, buttock, or leg
- Numbness or tingling in your leg or foot
- Pain with sitting, standing, bending, lifting, or walking
- Difficulty exercising, working, or sleeping comfortably
- Pain or stiffness that's limiting your everyday activities
Physical therapy can help identify factors contributing to your symptoms and address strength, mobility, and movement to help you feel better and return to the activities that matter to you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Low back pain refers to pain or discomfort in the lower back, while sciatica typically involves symptoms that travel from the lower back or buttock into the leg. Sciatica may cause sharp or burning pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness when the sciatic nerve or related nerve roots are irritated.
Yes. Physical therapy can help address factors that may be contributing to low back pain or sciatica, including changes in strength, mobility, movement, and nerve sensitivity. Treatment is personalized based on your symptoms, goals, and what your evaluation shows.
A herniated disc can sometimes irritate or compress a nerve root in the lower spine, which may cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels into the buttock or leg. However, not everyone with a disc herniation experiences symptoms, so an evaluation can help determine what may be contributing to your pain.
Recovery time varies depending on the cause and severity of your symptoms, how long you've had them, and your individual health and activity goals. Your physical therapist will develop a personalized treatment plan and adjust it as your symptoms, strength, and mobility improve.
Consider seeing a physical therapist if your back pain isn't improving, keeps returning, travels into your leg, or is interfering with work, exercise, sleep, or everyday activities. Seek prompt medical care for new bowel or bladder changes, saddle-area numbness, or severe or rapidly worsening weakness.
Prosper Physical Therapy Specialists
100 Regency Forest Dr, Ste 130Cary, NC
27518-8597 View Staff & Treatments