Sciatica

This guide is for educational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The guidance here is general, and you should always listen to the advice of your personal healthcare provider.

If you’ve ever experienced the sharp, shooting, or aching sensation of sciatica, you know firsthand that it can be a literal pain in the backside... and the leg!

When back and leg pain flare up, it’s entirely normal to feel worried, frustrated, and hesitant to exercise. However, the science around back pain and nerve pain is incredibly encouraging. Here at Be Mobile, we want to arm you with the facts so you can feel confident, safe, and empowered to keep moving.

Let’s dive into what sciatica actually is, why it happens, and most importantly, how you can manage it while staying active.

What is Sciatica, Really?

To understand sciatica, it helps to understand a little bit of basic spinal anatomy. Your spine is made up of a stack of bones (vertebrae) with a strong, flexible, rubbery disc between each one. These discs are fantastic shock absorbers that allow your spine to bend, twist, and move.

At each level of your spine, nerve roots branch out. In your lower back, these nerves travel down your leg, controlling sensation and muscle movement. The largest of these is the sciatic nerve, which runs right down the back of your thigh.

Image by Laboratoires Servier via Wikimedia Commons / Cropped and labelled from original / CC BY-SA 3.0

“Sciatica” is actually a vague, colloquial term for pain that runs down the back of the leg. It’s a symptom, not a diagnosis. The cause is usually what we call radicular pain, which happens when a nerve root is irritated either by mechanical pressure (like a bulging disc) or local inflammation.

The Good News: Your Spine is Strong (and Healing is Normal!)

When you hear terms like "disc herniation," "bulging disc," or "nerve compression," it may sound scary. But here is truth: nerves are incredibly strong, robust structures designed to handle load, stretching, and compression. If they weren't, we wouldn't be able to move a muscle without being in pain. Every time you sit on a chair, a huge portion of your bodyweight is pressing down on your sciatic nerve in the back of your thigh, and this usually doesn't hurt one bit!

Here are some reassuring facts to keep in mind:

Disc bulges are perfectly normal. Did you know that 60–80% of people over the age of 50 have a disc bulge, yet experience absolutely zero pain? Think of them like wrinkles on the inside, a very normal part of the ageing process. The vast majority of herniations don't cause any radicular pain at all.
Your body heals itself. Even if a disc bulge is causing your pain, around two-thirds of them spontaneously heal and resolve on their own within a year. And surprisingly, the worse the initial herniation, the more likely it is to heal completely!
Time is on your side. 75% of people with radicular pain find they are "better," "mostly better," or "completely recovered" within 12 weeks.

While sciatica can be horribly debilitating in the short term, it absolutely does not mean there is a serious or lasting problem with your spine.

How to Manage Sciatica: Move Your Body

When you're in pain, your first instinct might be to take to the couch and wait it out. But national and international clinical guidelines for managing radicular pain are clear: avoid bed rest, stay active, and continue with your usual activities as best you can.

You do not need to do any "special" or specific corrective exercises to fix sciatica. General exercise that improves your strength, fitness, and confidence is the best medicine.

There is no standard set of exercises that will work for everyone. The goal is to find movements and exercises that work for you.

That said, we have made this video of 3 exercises for sciatica you can try, to give you an idea of where to start:

How to Manage Your Workouts with Sciatica

When it comes to your workouts, we follow the usually Be Mobile approach:

1. Aim for "Tolerable"

A key word we use all the time at Be Mobile is tolerable. Exercise doesn't have to be 100% pain-free. A little bit of pain or discomfort during exercise is usually okay, so long as it feels tolerable to you. You are the boss of your own body. If a movement feels a bit achy but you can manage it without wincing or feeling worse afterwards, you are okay to continue.

2. The 3 Key Principles of Exercise Modification

Exercise doesn't have to be perfect. If a movement in your program is pushing past that "tolerable threshold", don't stop the workout, modify it. Use these three strategies:

Reduce the weight: If a weighted squat is aggravating your pain, drop the dumbbells and try it with just your body weight.
Reduce the range of movement: If bending all the way down in a deadlift hurts, only hinge forward halfway.
Substitute the exercise: If a lunge is just too uncomfortable today, swap it for a bridge or a wall sit. Find a movement that targets similar muscles but feels more tolerable for your body.

3. Do Something Rather Than Nothing

This is our ultimate motto. When you run into challenges, when you're in pain, or when life is just throwing a lot at you, always strive to do something rather than nothing.

Consistency is key. If your sciatica is flaring up and you can't manage a full strength workout, just do the first set. If a workout feels completely out of reach today, try a 10-minute walk or some gentle movement in your living room. The goal isn't perfection; the goal is simply to keep the habit alive and keep your body moving.

The Bottom Line

Sciatica can be tough, but you are tougher. Your spine is robust, your body is capable of healing, and things will improve over time. Don't let fear stop you from moving. Make modifications, keep your pain levels tolerable, try your best to stay positive, and just keep showing up.

If you're struggling, seek help. Working directly with a local physiotherapist can provide the extra support, encouragement, and reassurance you need to work through this.