Understand why it’s happening. Then decide what to do.
Sciatica describes a pattern of symptoms — not one diagnosis. Where you feel it doesn’t necessarily tell you where it comes from, and that changes what actually makes sense to try.
Three things worth knowing before you start
Sciatica is a symptom pattern, not a diagnosis
It describes what you are feeling. It does not yet tell you why you are feeling it.
Where you feel it is not always where it comes from
The nerves that reach your leg begin at the lower spine. A symptom in the calf can be a long way downstream of the problem.
The likely cause changes what makes sense to try
Two people with the same complaint can genuinely need different approaches. That is why we start with understanding, not a list of stretches.
Start with the foundations
Cornerstone 01What is sciatica?
Why a problem in your back causes symptoms in your leg, what an MRI does and does not tell you, and where to actually start.
Read it →
Cornerstone 02What causes it?
Disc-related, stenosis, problems outside the spine — or something that is not sciatica at all. Why a scan finding is not an explanation.
Read it →
New or rapidly progressing weakness, significant bowel or bladder changes, or numbness in the saddle or groin region warrant prompt medical evaluation — not another exercise from the internet.
Sciatica HQ is educational and self-management oriented. It is not individualised physical therapy, and nothing here diagnoses your condition or replaces assessment by a qualified clinician.