People look for sciatica massage when a sharp, burning or electric sensation runs from the low back or hip into the buttock, hamstring or calf.
Let me be straight about what massage can and cannot do. It cannot diagnose a disc injury and it does not replace medical care.
What I can do is assess how the glutes, piriformis, lumbar paraspinals and hip rotators are loading that chain, then use neuromuscular and myofascial work on the soft-tissue contribution to what you are feeling.
What a sciatica-focused session includes
Sessions are clothed, with no oils or draping.
I start with how you sit, walk and bend. Then I work the tissue that is actually referring, not only the spot that aches. That often means the deep hip rotators, glute medius and low-back erectors, at a pressure you can stay present for rather than brace against.
This is not a promise to cure sciatica. If you have sudden severe pain, progressive weakness, saddle numbness, or bowel or bladder changes, see a physician first.
For the many clients whose symptoms track with sitting, training load or an old hip restriction, skilled hands-on work is a practical next step alongside whatever care your doctor has already outlined.
Patterns I often see
Desk-driven referral
Long hours of sitting that shorten the hip flexors and load the piriformis and low back.
Runner and cyclist hips
High-mileage hips that stay tight through the glutes and refer down the leg after a long session.
One-sided compensation
An old ankle, knee or back injury that quietly changed how you stand and walk.
Between medical visits
Soft-tissue support while you follow a clinician’s plan, not a substitute for that plan.
Why the painful spot is not the whole story
When one area stops moving well, neighboring muscles and tissues are asked to contribute differently. Those compensations travel.
It is also common for pain to settle down before mobility comes back. That gap is where a leg keeps feeling wrong in a back that no longer hurts. I have written more about fascia, soft tissue and elasticity if you want the reasoning.
I come to you for sciatica work
If walking into a studio makes the leg worse, I come to your house on the Peninsula. Same clothed neuromuscular work on the hip, glute, and low back. I bring the table. In-home sports massage is $400 an hour. The Los Altos studio is $160 if you can drive in.
Explore related services
Neuromuscular Therapy
Trigger-point and NMT work that targets the source of referred pain.
Deep Tissue Massage
Strong, precise work for chronic tension and the demands of serious training.
Neck & Back Pain Massage
Clinical work for desk-driven neck pain and stubborn low-back tightness.
Sports Massage for Runners
Recovery-focused sports massage for calves, hips and IT-band patterns.
Frequently asked questions
Does massage help sciatica?
It can help when tight hip, glute or low-back tissue is adding to the referral you feel down the leg. It does not treat every cause of sciatica. If the pattern looks like something that needs a physician or imaging first, I will tell you.
Is this a medical treatment for a pinched nerve?
No. This is clinical bodywork, not a medical diagnosis and not a claim to decompress a nerve. The goal is to change the soft tissue and movement that often travel with sciatic-type symptoms.
Do I need to undress?
No. Work is done clothed, with no oils or draping. Wear flexible shorts or athletic pants and a shirt you can move in.
How many sessions will I need?
A first visit shows how your tissue responds. Some clients feel a useful change after one session. Longer-standing patterns usually do better with a short series. I will give you a plain assessment before you book more.
What should I do between appointments?
Appropriate stretching and movement for your stage of recovery, which I will show you. Sitting still is rarely the answer, and neither is aggressive stretching into pain.
Do you come to my house for sciatica massage?
Yes. In-home sports massage is available from San Jose to San Francisco. Same clothed sciatica-focused work. The Los Altos studio is $160 if you want to drive in.