What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica refers to pain, numbness, or tingling that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the hips and down each leg. It is one of the most common causes of leg pain and is typically the result of irritation or compression of a nerve root in the lumbar spine.

Most cases of sciatica are mechanical in origin, meaning the nerve is being irritated by a structural issue such as a disc herniation, joint dysfunction, or muscle tightness, rather than by disease or trauma. This distinction matters because mechanical causes respond well to the kind of movement-based assessment and treatment that Dr. Andrew St. Coeur uses at Core Performance Chiropractic.

Sciatica commonly presents as a sharp or burning pain on one side, sometimes accompanied by weakness or a pins-and-needles sensation in the foot or calf. Symptoms are often aggravated by sitting, bending forward, or standing for extended periods.

How Dr. St. Coeur Approaches Sciatica Treatment

Dr. Andrew St. Coeur uses the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) as a core framework for assessing and treating sciatica. He completed all four parts of McKenzie Method MDT training, which makes him one of a small number of clinicians in Michigan to have trained extensively in this approach.

The McKenzie Method is particularly well-suited to sciatica because it uses repeated movements and positions to identify a directional preference: the specific movement that begins to centralize symptoms, moving pain back toward the spine and away from the leg. Centralization is one of the most reliable indicators that treatment is heading in the right direction. Dr. St. Coeur's SFMA Level I training and exercise science background further inform his approach, ensuring that rehab work addresses the movement patterns contributing to nerve irritation. 

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What to Expect at Your Sciatica Appointment

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Step 1: Directional Assessment

Dr. St. Coeur guides you through a series of repeated movements to identify your directional preference and assess how your spine and nerve are responding.
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Step 2: Treatment

Treatment is based on your assessment findings and may include MDT-guided movement, manual therapy, and soft tissue work targeting the source of nerve irritation.
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Step 3: Home Program

Most patients receive specific exercises to perform between visits. Centralizing your symptoms at home accelerates recovery and reduces dependence on in-office visits.

What Patients Typically Experience

Patients who respond well to MDT-based sciatica treatment typically notice centralization early in the process: leg pain begins moving back toward the lower back, and the furthest point of radiation starts to retreat. This is a reliable sign the treatment direction is correct and recovery is progressing.

Most patients with mechanical sciatica see meaningful improvement within 4 to 8 sessions. Common outcomes include reduced leg pain and numbness, improved tolerance for sitting and standing, and a better understanding of the positions and movements that aggravate or relieve symptoms.

Beyond immediate relief, functional rehabilitation helps address the movement patterns that contributed to nerve irritation in the first place. Patients who complete a home program alongside in-office care tend to see more durable results and are less likely to experience the same flare-up again. Learn more about Dr. St. Coeur's functional rehabilitation approach and how it supports sciatica recovery.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sciatica

Sciatica typically responds well to conservative care, particularly when the cause is mechanical. Most patients see meaningful improvement within 4 to 8 sessions, especially when a directional preference is identified early and a home program is followed consistently.
Not necessarily. Most cases of sciatica have a mechanical cause that responds well to movement-based assessment and manual therapy. Surgery is generally considered only when conservative care has not produced improvement after an extended period, or when there is significant neurological deficit.
Yes. The McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy uses repeated movements to identify the direction that centralizes your symptoms. Centralization, where pain moves from the leg back toward the spine, is a reliable indicator that the right treatment direction has been found.
Chiropractic care addresses the mechanical causes of sciatic nerve irritation, including joint dysfunction, disc issues, and soft tissue restriction. It does not treat sciatica through medication or injection, but through movement-based assessment, manual therapy, and corrective exercise.

Book Your Sciatica Assessment in Port Huron

Core Performance Chiropractic is located at 401 McMorran Blvd in Downtown Port Huron. Dr. Andrew St. Coeur is accepting new patients from across St. Clair County, including Marysville and Fort Gratiot.

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