Condition
Sciatica Treatment in Fort Collins, CO
Pain, numbness or electric sensation that travels from the low back or glute down the leg. The goal is to find what is irritating the nerve, calm it down, then build enough capacity that it stops being reactive.
The short answer
Sciatica is pain along the path of the sciatic nerve, usually caused by something in the low back irritating the nerve where it exits the spine. Treatment at Tier 1 Performance & Rehab in Fort Collins finds the positions and movements that ease your leg pain, uses hands-on care to calm it down, then strengthens your hips and back so you can sit, lift and run again.
Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Timnath, Windsor and Wellington, CO.
01 — What it is
Sciatica, and how to tell that's what you have
Signs you're dealing with this
- —Pain that travels below the glute into the hamstring, calf or foot
- —Numbness, pins and needles or a burning line down the leg
- —Symptoms worse with prolonged sitting, driving or bending forward
- —A leg that feels heavy or gives way on stairs
- —Pain that spikes with coughing or sneezing
What's actually causing it
- —A disc in the low back pressing on a nerve
- —An irritated joint in the low back sending pain down the leg
- —Tight or irritated tissue in the hip and glute pressing on the nerve
- —Hips and core that are not yet strong enough for how much you sit, lift or run
“Dr. Alec did a great job of identifying where I was in the healing process and matching the right exercises for my rehab… I found that this builds trust.”
02 — Our approach
How we treat Sciatica at Tier 1
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Find the direction that helps
We test which movements and positions ease your leg pain and which make it worse, and check your strength and feeling in the leg.
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Calm the nerve
Hands-on care and specific movements to settle things down and pull the pain out of your leg.
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Build the strength back
Lifting, squatting and carrying built back up so your low back holds up to real life, not just the clinic.
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Bulletproof it
How to sit, how to warm up, and a strength routine that keeps it quiet long after care ends.
What to expect, week by week
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Weeks 1–3
Leg symptoms shrink toward the back. Clear rules for what to avoid.
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Weeks 4–10
Strength work under way, sitting and driving getting easier.
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Weeks 10–16
Full training load, plus the maintenance program that keeps flare-ups away.
Programs here run 8 to 16 weeks depending on how long the problem has been going on and the load you need to return to. These are typical ranges for active adults, not a guarantee — you get specific goals and a target program length after your first assessment.
03 — FAQ
Sciatica: common questions
Written as direct answers so Google and AI assistants can quote them.
How long does sciatica last?+
Leg symptoms usually start retreating within the first two to three weeks, and programs here run eight to sixteen weeks so the low back is rebuilt to full load rather than just quiet. The first thing we look for is your leg pain moving back toward the spine — that is the sign it is heading the right direction.
Can a chiropractor help with sciatica?+
Yes. A chiropractor can identify the source of nerve irritation, use manual care to reduce symptoms, and prescribe the loading program that stops it recurring. If there is progressive weakness or bowel or bladder change, that is a medical referral, not a chiropractic one.
Should I rest or move with sciatica?+
Move, within the directions that do not provoke the leg. Extended bed rest slows recovery. We give you a specific list of what to do and what to hold off on.
Is sciatica the same as low back pain?+
No. Low back pain stays local. Sciatica refers below the glute along the nerve, and it needs a plan that addresses nerve sensitivity as well as strength.
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Get a straight answer about your Sciatica
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