I'll start...for me, no PT. I did the cross legged stretch, and it went away pretty quickly, in a matter of a few days. I think the key is to try and not sit any more than you have to. In the car, take out your wallet, and try and keep your legs from twisting out. Also, I used the TP Massage ball on the spot in my flutes I found as per their website videos, and it really went away pretty quickly. Every time I feel that tightness a quick return to those 2 things and I'm good again. Just know that rest will NOT make it go away.

Good luck!

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

My ordeal followed the fairly standard insurance plan of 4 weeks of PT. If it isn't resolved, 2 attempts at cortisone epidural, and if still no relief, a possible candidate for a surgical procedure. Since it's your spine, you might try to get a neurosurgeon, like I did, and I had to wait two months to see him (that busy because he's that good). In this time, it may go down on it's own. Not in my case; it got worse, to the point I visited emergency twice with the second time in an ambulance as it was the most absolute horrendous pain I've ever experienced (and I've had some nasty painful things in my past, like two flesh eating infections on my legs.) They shot me full of Vallium and Dilaudid both times.
I ended up with a ILIF type spinal fusion at L2/L3. Still recovering, but been back in the pool 2.5 weeks after procedure. No bike, no run, but a lot of walking while wearing a back brace. I'm not sure when I'll be able to begin those activities again.

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Proud member of FISHTWITCH: doing a bit more than fish exercise now.

I have a bulged disc at L5/S1. It happened about 10 days before IM Chattanooga. I'm not even sure what caused it. I went to a chiro hoping he would help so I could get ready for IMChoo. He made it a hundred times worse. By the time he was done with me I couldn't even stand up the pain was so intense and the back of my left leg was numb all the way to my toes. That was the most intense pain I've ever felt.

I missed the race because of the pain and numbness. I had strength loss in my left leg (couldn't walk on my toes) and was walking with a limp. I had an MRI and then started PT. It took about 2 months for the numbness to go away. I was able to ride after a few weeks but had to keep it pretty easy. Then I added swimming and now I'm able to run but it's been rough. I lost some strength in my left leg, calf especially, so my form is rough. It's coming back quickly though. I'd say I'm about 80% right now, so I have some work left to do but I'm back to training and making progress everyday.

I've been doing PT, lots of foam rolling, Foundation exercises in addition to exercises my PT gives me. Next week I'll add some weight lifting to help rebuild the strength I lost. My PT thinks part of my problem was my piriformis muscle so the foam rolling helps that and I started making very quick progress when we started Astym. We tried dry needling but that didn't do much for me.

I wouldn't start running until the numbness is gone. It's too risky. Nerves take forever to heal so the last thing you want to do is make this worse. You're better off losing fitness. I'd probably avoid the chiro too. PT has been a huge help for me. My PT is awesome. I go in tomorrow morning for another session.

Good luck. It's a nasty injury.

Years ago I suffered from a bulged L5 on the right side and sciatica through the bottom of my calf. After months of advil/ice/stretching/PT, and an epidural steroid to make it through my wedding, my final cure was acupuncture. 8 sessions over 2 weeks and I was pain free. Good luck in your healing, sciatica sucks.