Las Vegas is a playground for active adults, but weekend warriors, beware: Those two days of hard-earned freedom may be making your back pain worse. If you live with sciatica, even well-meaning activities like yard work, pickleball, or DIY repairs can trigger a flare-up.
Sciatica isn’t just a general backache; it’s pain that travels along the sciatic nerve — your body’s longest nerve — which branches from the lower back through the hips and down each leg, typically past ypur knee. When this nerve gets pinched or irritated, it can cause shooting pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that radiates down your leg.
At McNulty Spine, we help people with sciatica get to the bottom of their pain so they can get back to crushing their weekends.
For many people, the workweek is spent sitting. Then Saturday arrives, and suddenly it's time to move — all day. Whether it’s cleaning out the garage or tackling nine holes on the golf course, these bursts of physical activity can shock your muscles and joints that have been idle all week.
Certain movements are especially likely to aggravate your sciatic nerve:
Even lounging too long on the couch can compress spinal discs and contribute to inflammation around the nerve roots. In short, both underuse and overuse can set off symptoms — especially when your spine is already vulnerable.
Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis. It’s usually caused by an underlying condition, such as:
Accurately identifying the cause is key to effective treatment. That’s why Dr. Patrick S. McNulty — our board-certified spine specialist — begins every sciatica evaluation with a thorough history, exam, and diagnostic imaging.
Sciatica doesn’t always require surgery. Many patients respond well to conservative care, including rest, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and spinal injections.
Spinal injections can deliver fast relief by reducing inflammation around irritated nerve roots. These image-guided procedures place medication precisely where you need it, often improving symptoms enough to delay or avoid surgery.
When conservative measures aren’t enough — or when nerve compression is severe — Dr. McNulty may recommend surgical intervention.
A lumbar laminectomy removes a small portion of bone (the lamina) from the vertebra to create more space around the spinal nerves. This relieves pressure without compromising spinal stability.
If instability is a concern — for example, in cases of spondylolisthesis or severe degenerative disease — spinal fusion reconstruction may be recommended. This procedure stabilizes the spine by permanently fusing two or more vertebrae, often with the aid of supportive hardware. Dr. McNulty uses advanced techniques and customized surgical plans to ensure the best possible outcomes.
If you dread weekends because they mean another flare-up of sciatica, it may be time to take action. Adjusting your activities, improving posture, and working with a skilled spine specialist can help you enjoy your days off without paying for it later.
Don’t let sciatic pain keep disrupting your life. Call McNulty Spine in Las Vegas, Nevada, or request an appointment online to explore your treatment options today.
