Sciatica Treatment
in Brooklyn, NY
If your sciatica keeps returning after adjustments, massage, or PT — the underlying movement dysfunction was never addressed. Dr. Fidler finds and fixes it.
What Is Sciatica — and Why Does It Keep Coming Back?
Sciatica is not a diagnosis. It's a symptom — pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that follows the path of the sciatic nerve from your lower back through your glute and down one leg, sometimes all the way to your foot.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body, and it can become irritated or compressed at several points along its path. The common assumption is that a bulging disc in your lumbar spine is pressing on the nerve. That's sometimes true. But more often, the real story involves how your body is loading and moving — and the disc finding is a bystander, not the cause.
This is why so many people go through rounds of adjustments, stretching, or physical therapy and feel better for a week or two — then the pain comes back. If the movement dysfunction driving the compression isn't identified and corrected, you're managing symptoms rather than fixing the problem.
At Functional Rehab, we don't just ask where it hurts. We ask why your body keeps putting itself in a position to get hurt.
Does this sound familiar?
- Sharp, shooting pain down one leg — sometimes into the foot
- Burning or electric sensation along the back of your thigh
- Numbness or tingling that comes and goes
- Lower back pain that's worse when sitting for long periods
- Pain that's better lying down but flares when you stand or walk
- Weakness in the leg that makes stairs or hills harder
- Sciatica that briefly improved with treatment but returned within weeks
Why a Spinal Adjustment Alone Doesn't Fix Sciatica
The traditional approach
Adjust the lumbar spine. Reduce nerve pressure. Patient feels better. Come back in two days. Repeat.
This works — for a while. But if your glutes are not activating properly, your hip flexors are chronically shortened from sitting, and your lumbar spine is compensating for movement your thoracic spine should be doing, the compression comes back. Every time.
The Functional Rehab approach
We start with a movement screen (SFMA) that identifies where your body is compensating — not just where it hurts. Then we use Active Release Technique and targeted therapeutic exercise to fix the mechanical driver.
Adjustments are still part of care when appropriate. But they're one tool in a system designed to produce lasting results, not a repeat visit cycle.
Common culprits we find in sciatica patients: piriformis syndrome (the muscle compressing the nerve in the hip, not the spine), hip extension deficits causing the lumbar spine to overwork, and poor thoracic mobility creating a load transfer problem that ultimately compresses the L4–S1 nerve roots. None of these get addressed by adjusting L5.
Your First Visit at Functional Rehab
Your first appointment (45–60 minutes) is a diagnostic visit, not a treatment treadmill. Here's exactly what happens.
Full History Intake
We discuss when it started, what makes it better or worse, what you've tried, and — critically — what you want to get back to doing. Your history is diagnostic data.
SFMA Movement Screen
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment identifies which movement patterns are dysfunctional and painful vs. dysfunctional and painless. This tells us where to look, not just where it hurts.
Orthopedic Exam
Targeted neurological and orthopedic tests to rule in or out disc involvement, identify nerve tension, and assess hip and lumbar mechanics specifically.
Your Care Plan
We explain what we found, what we think is driving your sciatica, and what a realistic treatment plan looks like — including timeline and visit count. No surprises.
Hands-On Treatment
First-visit treatment includes ART to address soft tissue restrictions, spinal manipulation where indicated, and initial neuromuscular work targeting the mechanical driver.
Exercise Prescription
You leave with a targeted home program — not generic stretches, but movement corrections specific to what your assessment showed. Patients who do the work between sessions heal faster.
Who We See for Sciatica in Brooklyn
We see a specific kind of patient — one who's done the rounds and wants a more thorough answer.
The desk worker
Remote workers and commuters in Park Slope, Boerum Hill, and Cobble Hill dealing with sciatica that's been building for years from prolonged sitting.
The runner or cyclist
Active Brooklynites who've noticed sciatic pain creeping into longer runs or rides — and want to understand the movement issue before it becomes a training interruption.
The CrossFit or gym athlete
People training at CrossFit South Brooklyn or local gyms who've had a flare from deadlifts or squats and know they need a root-cause diagnosis, not just rest.
The weekend athlete
Pickleball players, tennis players, and recreational athletes dealing with lumbar loading patterns that keep producing sciatic flares through rotational sport.
The repeat treatment patient
Anyone who's been to a chiropractor or PT, got relief, and had it come back. If this pattern sounds familiar, a movement-based assessment is the next logical step.
The post-imaging patient
People who've had an MRI showing a bulging disc and were told that's the cause. We'll verify — and often find that's not the full picture.
"Dr. Fidler truly changed my life. At the ripe age of 34, a herniated disc in my back was causing so much pain/discomfort that I was struggling to do daily tasks like lift my little kids, let alone workout and play the sports that I love. Dr. Fidler not only helped alleviate the pain quickly, but more importantly he has provided me with the education and skills necessary to make sure that I can continue doing the things that I love pain free. I truly couldn't recommend Dr. Fidler more."
Dr. Jason Fidler, DC
Certified in Active Release Techniques® (full-body) and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA). Over a decade of experience in performance-based chiropractic rehabilitation. Solo practice — you see Dr. Fidler at every visit, from first assessment to discharge. Located at 597 Degraw Street, Suite 2F, Gowanus, Brooklyn — above CrossFit South Brooklyn. Learn more →
Sciatica Treatment — FAQ
How is this different from what I've already tried?
Most chiropractic and PT approaches to sciatica focus on the site of pain — the lumbar spine or the nerve itself. We start instead with a full movement assessment (SFMA) that identifies why your spine is being loaded in a way that compresses the nerve. This often reveals issues in the hip, thoracic spine, or neuromuscular control that aren't visible on imaging and weren't addressed in prior treatment.
If you've had recurring sciatica despite treatment, that's the clearest sign the root cause hasn't been found yet.
How long does sciatica treatment take?
It depends on how long the condition has been present, the severity of nerve involvement, and how consistently you engage with the exercise component. Acute cases often see meaningful improvement within 4–6 visits. Chronic or recurring sciatica typically requires 8–12 visits to address the movement dysfunction and build the stability needed to stay well.
We'll give you a realistic estimate at your first visit — not a vague treatment plan designed to keep you coming back indefinitely.
Do I need an MRI before coming in?
No. Imaging is useful context but it doesn't change our diagnostic starting point, which is always a functional movement assessment. If you have existing MRI or X-ray reports, bring them — we'll review them. Many patients with severe-looking disc findings on MRI have functional sciatica that responds well to movement-based rehab, and many patients with minimal imaging findings have significant mechanical drivers we can address directly.
Do you accept insurance?
Functional Rehab is an out-of-network provider. Many patients with PPO plans receive partial reimbursement — we provide a superbill you can submit directly to your insurer. We're transparent about fees so there are no surprises before your first visit. Contact us and we're happy to discuss what to expect.
What neighborhoods do you serve?
We're located at 597 Degraw Street, Suite 2F in Gowanus, Brooklyn — easily accessible from Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and surrounding South Brooklyn neighborhoods. The practice is on the second floor above CrossFit South Brooklyn.
Is chiropractic safe for sciatica?
Yes — when performed following a proper clinical examination. At Functional Rehab, we run a thorough orthopedic and neurological assessment before any hands-on treatment to confirm spinal manipulation is appropriate for your presentation. In some acute nerve compression cases, we modify or defer adjustment and focus on soft tissue work and exercise first.
Ready to find out what's actually causing your sciatica?
Book a new patient consultation at Functional Rehab in Gowanus, Brooklyn. First visit is 45–60 minutes. You'll leave with a diagnosis, a plan, and a clear picture of what recovery looks like.
Serving Gowanus · Park Slope · Boerum Hill · Carroll Gardens · Cobble Hill · Brooklyn, NY 11217