First Assessment
Free
45 minutes, at home
- Full clinical examination at the patient's home
- The likely cause explained in plain language
- A realistic recovery plan and what it will cost
- No obligation to book any further sessions
Sciatica rarely begins with a dramatic event. More often someone has spent an evening in a car or an auto, steps out, and feels a hot, nagging line from the buttock down the back of the leg. Gangadham sits where the Market Yard road meets the Bibwewadi–Kondhwa Road, so a great many working hours here are spent seated in a moving vehicle: car commuters, auto and cab drivers, and drivers of the goods vehicles that serve the market.
Our sciatica treatment guide describes what the condition is. This page covers how a home visit in Gangadham looks for the cause and what to change in a sitting-heavy routine.
Why a long seated journey sets it off
The sciatic nerve is formed from nerve roots in the lower back and runs through the buttock and down the leg. Sitting for long periods increases the pressure on the lower discs, and a wallet in the back pocket or a seat with a hard edge can add pressure at the buttock. In a vehicle the legs are also fixed, so the hip muscles tighten. When we stand up, the nerve is irritated by an already sensitive disc or tight muscle. Heavy traffic worsens it because there is no chance to stretch or change position.
What is tested at a home visit
Sciatic pain can come from a disc, from the joints in the spine, or from muscles deep in the buttock, and each is managed differently. The physiotherapist asks where the pain goes, what position eases it and what makes it worse. Then comes a check of nerve function: leg strength, reflexes, sensation and a few movements that stretch the nerve, such as lifting the straight leg. The results indicate whether the nerve is being pressed, and how seriously. If a disc is the likely cause, our page on slip disc physiotherapy in Gangadham explains the next steps.
Seeing you in your own home lets us test the positions that actually matter, such as getting up from your sofa or your bed, and how you sit at your desk or dining table.
Treatment and what to expect
Treatment combines directional exercises that reduce leg symptoms, gentle nerve mobility work, hip and core strengthening and advice on positions. A few people feel worse before they feel better with a particular exercise, so the physiotherapist reviews your response at each visit and changes the plan. For intense pain, a pain-relief unit such as IFT may be used for a short time so that you can move. Many cases settle with conservative care, but some need a doctor's opinion and imaging, and we will tell you when that is the case.
Sitting in vehicles with less strain
- Take the wallet or phone out of the back pocket before a journey.
- Slide the seat so your knees are level with or slightly below your hips, and use a small rolled towel behind the lower back.
- Where the traffic is stationary, shift your weight from side to side and stretch the legs under the pedals.
- Get out and walk for a minute at the end of a long drive, before you lift anything.
- Drivers who sit for hours should break long shifts where possible and avoid slumping into the corner of the seat.
Leg pain that needs emergency care
Seek emergency care straight away, instead of waiting, if you notice:
- loss of control over the bladder or bowels, trouble starting urine, or numbness around the groin or inner thighs;
- weakness in the leg or foot that is getting worse, or a foot that drags or slaps;
- numbness spreading in both legs;
- pain after a fall or accident, or with fever, weight loss or a history of cancer.
Otherwise, book a home visit. You can also read how we work across Gangadham.