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Sciatica Treatment in La Crosse & Onalaska

Shooting pain down the leg has a specific cause — and finding it is the key to actually resolving it.

Sciatica is one of the most commonly misunderstood conditions in physical therapy. The term describes a symptom — pain that travels along the sciatic nerve pathway, down the back of the leg — not a diagnosis. And the treatment depends entirely on what's actually causing the nerve irritation.

Our orthopedic specialists are skilled at distinguishing between the different causes of sciatic pain — disc herniation, piriformis syndrome, spinal stenosis, nerve tension — and applying the specific approach most likely to resolve your symptoms efficiently and lastingly.

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What Is Sciatica?

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body — formed from nerve roots exiting the lumbar spine (L4-S1) and running through the gluteal region and down the back of each leg to the foot. Sciatica occurs when this nerve is compressed, irritated, or inflamed anywhere along its path.

True sciatica typically produces pain, numbness, or tingling that follows a specific distribution down the leg — often described as shooting, burning, electric, or sharp. It may be accompanied by weakness in the leg or foot.

Symptoms & Signs

Shooting or burning pain from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg

Numbness or tingling along the back of the thigh, calf, or foot

Weakness in the leg, foot, or toes

Pain that worsens with sitting for prolonged periods

Pain that worsens with bending forward, coughing, or sneezing

Pain with specific hip positions

Relief when lying down or walking

Symptoms in one leg only, occasionally both

Contributing Factors

The most common causes of sciatica are: lumbar disc herniation (the disc pressing on a nerve root as it exits the spine), piriformis syndrome (the sciatic nerve being compressed by the piriformis muscle in the gluteal region), lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), spondylolisthesis (vertebral slippage), or neural tension (the nerve losing its ability to move freely through surrounding tissue).

Each cause requires a somewhat different treatment approach — which is why accurate clinical evaluation matters so much. The wrong approach for the wrong cause can stall progress or worsen symptoms.

How We Treat It at

Dynamic Performance and Therapy

Neural Mobilization (Nerve Flossing)

Specific movements designed to restore the sciatic nerve's ability to glide freely through surrounding tissue — reducing neurodynamic tension and alleviating symptoms that don't fully respond to spinal treatment alone.

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Lumbar Manual Therapy

For disc or facet-driven sciatica — joint mobilization and soft tissue techniques to reduce nerve root compression and restore lumbar motion.

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Piriformis Release & Hip Manual Therapy

For piriformis syndrome — targeted manual therapy, dry needling, and stretching protocols to reduce piriformis tension and decompress the sciatic nerve at the hip.

Lumbar Stabilization & Core Training

Building the specific strength and motor control that reduces compressive load on lumbar discs and nerve roots — and prevents recurrence.

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Activity Modification & Postural Education

Understanding which positions and movements load the symptomatic structure — and how to modify daily activities during recovery — is an essential and often underemphasized part of effective sciatica treatment.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

A full lumbar and neurological evaluation — including movement testing, neural tension assessment, reflex and sensation testing, and lower extremity strength screening. We differentiate the specific cause of your sciatica before treatment begins.

If neurological findings suggest significant nerve compression requiring urgent imaging or medical referral, we will communicate this clearly at your first visit.