Sciatica.
Sciatica describes nerve pain running from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg — often past the knee to the calf or foot. The most common cause is a herniated disc pressing on a lumbar nerve root. Most cases resolve fully with the right physiotherapy. Surgery is rarely necessary.
Conditions we see and treat.
If you have leg pain of spinal origin, the presentations below are the ones we see most.
- 01Lumbar disc herniation with leg pain
- 02Shooting or burning leg pain (sakit kaki)
- 03Leg numbness, tingling, or weakness
- 04Piriformis syndrome
- 05Spinal stenosis with referred pain
- 06Recurring lower back and buttock pain
- 07Sciatica aggravated by sitting or driving
- 08Nerve pain after failed rest or pain medication
How we treat sciatica.
Three tools working in sequence — neural mobilisation early, McKenzie to centralise pain, then core stabilisation to prevent recurrence.
Neural mobilisation (nerve flossing) moves the sciatic nerve through its full range to reduce hypersensitivity. It looks gentle from the outside — but it targets neural tissue directly and is one of the most effective techniques for easing shooting leg pain early in treatment.
The McKenzie method uses repeated movements to centralise pain, pulling symptoms back from the foot toward the spine. Pain retreating up the leg — away from the foot — is a clear sign that treatment is working and the nerve is decompressing.
Once the acute phase settles, core stabilisation retrains the deep spinal stabilisers to reduce compressive load on the nerve root. This phase is what prevents recurrence and builds the resilience to return to normal activity — sitting, driving, exercising — without fear of flare-up.
Frequently asked.
Straight answers. If anything else comes up, message us on WhatsApp.
No — bed rest consistently produces worse outcomes than staying active. Movement helps nourish the discs and prevents your nervous system from becoming more sensitised. We'll guide you on what activities are safe and how to modify your day-to-day until symptoms settle.
Most patients with acute sciatica improve significantly within 6–8 weeks of starting physiotherapy. It's not a straight line — some days feel like steps back. Patients who start treatment within 2–3 weeks of onset consistently do better than those who wait months.
Yes — the majority of sciatica cases resolve with conservative physiotherapy. Surgery is reserved for cases with severe progressive weakness, bowel or bladder involvement, or when structured conservative treatment has failed after 3 months.
If you suddenly lose control of your bladder or bowel, develop rapidly spreading weakness in both legs, or lose sensation in your inner thighs and groin — go to A&E immediately. These may indicate cauda equina syndrome, a surgical emergency.
What patients actually say.
Verbatim, from Google reviews.
Super nice and patient therapist! Finally helped fix my knee problem after 10 years. Will definitely keep coming back.
Book a first assessment.
60 minutes. One-to-one with Felicia. We reply on WhatsApp within a few hours — usually sooner.
Message on WhatsApp