Low Back Pain & Sciatica

Low back pain is the single most common cause of disability worldwide, affecting approximately 80% of adults at some point in their lives. Sciatica is a specific type of low back pain characterized by pain that radiates from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg, following the path of the sciatic nerve.

Common causes include lumbar disc herniation or bulge compressing a nerve root, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, facet joint dysfunction, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and muscle spasm or myofascial trigger points. Many patients are told they need surgery or injections when conservative physical therapy can effectively resolve their symptoms.

At NeoLife Physical Therapy, our therapists are trained in the latest evidence-based approaches for low back pain and sciatica, including the McKenzie Method, manual therapy, functional dry needling, and progressive therapeutic exercise — all delivered one-on-one.

Your NeoLife therapist will perform a thorough evaluation including a detailed history, movement analysis, neurological screening, and specialized tests to determine the exact cause of your low back pain or sciatica. This precision diagnosis is critical — because the treatment for a disc herniation is different from the treatment for facet joint pain or SI joint dysfunction.

Treatment is individualized based on your specific diagnosis and may include spinal mobilization and manipulation, McKenzie directional preference exercises, functional dry needling of lumbar and gluteal trigger points, core stabilization and motor control training, nerve gliding and neural mobilization techniques, and progressive functional exercise to return you to full activity.

Research consistently shows that physical therapy is as effective as surgery for many types of low back pain and sciatica — without the risks, downtime, or cost. NeoLife's one-on-one model ensures you get more hands-on treatment per visit, which translates to faster recovery.