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Conditions We Treat  /  Sciatica & Back Pain

Back & Spine

Sciatica and Back Pain Treatment in Bakersfield

Pain that shoots from your lower back into your buttock or down your leg is often sciatica. Most people get better without surgery, and physical therapy is one of the best ways to get there.

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Yes, physical therapy helps sciatica and back pain. The American College of Physicians' low back pain guideline recommends starting with non-drug treatments, such as exercise, spinal manipulation and heat, for most people, and most sciatica caused by a disc problem improves without surgery. At ARI Physical Therapy in Bakersfield, spine care is led by Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, a board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist who previously worked as a Spine Clinical Specialist at Kaiser Permanente, helping patients find conservative alternatives to surgery.

Does this sound like you?

✓Pain runs from your low back or buttock down the back of your leg
✓Numbness, tingling or “pins and needles” in your leg or foot
✓Sitting, driving or bending forward makes it worse
✓Coughing or sneezing sends pain down your leg
✓Walking or standing too long makes your legs ache, and sitting helps
✓Your back is stiff in the morning or after sitting

What causes it

Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis: something is irritating a nerve root in the lower back that feeds the sciatic nerve. The most common cause is a bulging or herniated disc, especially in people under 50. In older adults, spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the space around the nerves, often causes leg pain that comes on with walking or standing and eases with sitting. Irritated joints and muscles in the back and hip can also refer pain into the leg. Your evaluation sorts out which one you have, because the right exercises differ.

An MRI often shows disc bulges in people with no pain at all, so a scan result on its own doesn't decide your treatment. How you move, what eases your pain, and what makes it worse matter more.

What treatment at ARI looks like

1
A one-on-one evaluation

Your first visit takes about 45 to 60 minutes. We go through your history and test how you move, along with a nerve check of strength, reflexes and sensation, to understand where the pain is coming from and rule out anything that needs a doctor.

2
Easing the leg pain first

Specific movements and positions that take pressure off the irritated nerve, hands-on treatment, and practical changes to how you sit, sleep, drive and lift, so the pain moves out of your leg.

3
Strength and confidence

Progressive strengthening for your back, hips and core, and a gradual return to work, exercise and daily life, with a home program so it's less likely to come back.

No referral needed to start. In California, you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage; call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.

When to see a doctor first

Go to an emergency room if back or leg pain comes with new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness in your groin, genitals or inner thighs. These can be signs of cauda equina syndrome, which needs urgent care.

See a doctor promptly if you have:

  • Leg weakness that is getting worse, or your foot slaps or drags when you walk
  • Back pain with fever or chills
  • A history of cancer, or weight loss you can't explain
  • Back pain after a significant fall or car accident
  • Severe pain that doesn't change at all with position or rest

Why patients choose ARI

Care at ARI is always one-on-one and in person with a licensed physical therapist at our Bakersfield clinic: 8200 Stockdale Hwy, Suite B2, in the Town & Country Village center next to Trader Joe's. We accept most private insurance plans and Medicare, and we have staff who speak Spanish and Hindi.

Sciatica and back pain FAQs

Usually not. Guidelines advise against routine imaging for low back pain without warning signs, and many people have disc bulges on an MRI with no pain at all. If your evaluation shows a reason for imaging, we'll tell you and coordinate with your doctor.
Generally no. Staying gently active usually leads to a faster recovery than bed rest. Your therapist will show you which movements are safe and which to avoid for now.
Most people with sciatica from a disc improve without surgery. Surgery is usually considered for severe or worsening weakness, warning signs like bladder or bowel changes, or pain that doesn't improve with good conservative care.
No. In California you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage, so call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.
Yes. Physical therapy for stenosis focuses on positions and exercises that open up space for the nerves, strength and walking tolerance, so you can stand and walk longer with less leg pain.

Common questions

Ready to feel better?

Talk to a licensed physical therapist at ARI, one-on-one. Request an evaluation and we'll get back to you, usually within one business day.

Request an EvaluationCall (661) 282-8584

Sources

  1. Interventions for the Management of Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Revision 2021. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (APTA clinical practice guideline), 2021.
  2. Sciatica. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
  3. Back Pain. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIH).

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you have symptoms, a licensed clinician should evaluate you.

Clinically reviewed by Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist · Reviewed September 2026