Find Relief from Your Back Pain In San Francisco, CA with Physical Therapy
According to the American Physical Therapy Association, back pain is the most commonly reported pain across the nation, and one out of every four Americans has experienced back pain in the past three months.
Back pain and sciatica differ but are often confused with each other. Back is specific to the upper, mid or low back. Sciatica is a more diffuse, radiating pain down the buttock, thigh, and even leg. It is also possible to have radiculopathy, which is a radiating numbness, tingling, burning, or sharp pain to a specific part of the leg. This is often associated with a herniated disc, or entrapment of the nerve of that area, as it exits the spine.
Do you wake up in the morning with that nagging back pain? Are you feeling achy pain in your back, buttock, or even thigh? Are you having to watch what you do, because you are afraid you may hurt your back? If so, physical therapy can help.
If you are searching for back pain or sciatica relief in San Francisco, CA, don’t rely on medicines to mask the symptoms. Your body is telling you of the deeper root cause of the problem, that needs to be fixed. Know that physical therapy should be your first treatment of choice, which eliminates your need for harmful painkilling drugs, such as opioids, or possibly avoid an invasive surgical procedure.
How will physical therapy help relieve back pain or sciatica in San Francisco, CA?
For most people, back pain will come and go. However, what many people don’t realize, is that the underlying problem of poor joint movement, core weakness, and poor muscle coordination, will set them up for a future back injury, which can be significantly worse.
Back pain and sciatica are both completely treatable through physical therapy. Your physical therapist creates a specific treatment plan for you that is dependent upon your diagnosis. The early stages of your physical therapy treatment focus on quick pain relief.
As your pain reduces, your physical therapist will expand on strengthening your core muscle group with specific therapeutic exercises and stretches. The goal here is to increase your strength and range of motion to prevent re-injury of your spine. Finally, we teach you ergonomics and ways to make sure you know how to take care of your spine, avoiding future problems.
If you are suffering from sciatica, our physical therapists will implement specific leg stretches into your treatment plan to loosen the sciatic nerve. This restores the natural health of the nerve and quickly reduces symptoms.

What caused my back pain or sciatica?
General back pain typically develops as the result of an injury. This can be due to repetitive straining motions, such as leaning down multiple times throughout the day to pick up a toddler, or a more serious, sudden trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident.
How can I tell if it’s back pain or sciatica?
Sciatica
Back Pain
Underlying conditions, such as herniated discs, can also cause immense pain, and cause radiculopathy pain to the thigh, leg, or foot. Degenerative disc disease is a common condition as we age, which can result in back pain. Those with this condition typically report dull, aching pains in their lower back, and have difficulty with prolonged standing or walking.
Sciatica’s technical name is “lumbar radiculopathy.” People who develop this condition are generally between the ages of 30 and 50. Many different types of injuries can cause the development of sciatica, including arthritis, bone spurs, or any other injury that impacts the sciatic nerve.
Most commonly, we find that people lose their flexibility in the hips and pelvis, which causes the gluteus and hip muscles to become tightened. This in turn, alters the mechanics of the spine, and compression to the sciatic nerve as it travels through these tissues.

our patients’ words
Stories Of Strength And Renewal
Every recovery journey is a testament to resilience. Our patients arrive with challenges and leave with confidence, mobility, and a renewed sense of well-being. See how Rising Sun Physical Therapy has helped others reclaim their health and rediscover what’s possible.
Contact us for back pain and sciatica relief in San Francisco, CA
If you are experiencing back pain or sciatica, make an appointment with one of our specialists at Rising Sun Physical Therapy in San Francisco, CA. No matter how severe the pain may be, we will help you get on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.
Your Next Steps…
- Request An Appointment
- Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
- Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
- Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!




