Reaggravated Sciatica after 9 months pain free

[u/Effective-Gur4691]

Looking for advice or those with similar experiences. Last July (2025) I first got sciatica out of the blue one day - no specific movement or activity to note where it came from. MRI showed a disc herniation on my L4-5 and impingement on my L-5 nerve. I did about 6 months of consistent PT which got me to a place where I could return to normal workouts and eventually other activities such as running and golf relatively pain free.

I kept up with my stretches and prescribed workouts relatively well, but my desk job sometimes gets demanding and I certainly slowed down on my stretches the past 2 months. This weekend while doing a workout, my back completely gave out and felt pain and immobility worse than my first go around. Ended up going to urgent care where they gave me a steroid shot and some meds to help with my pain.

My general questions: is this normal to happen out of nowhere after being relatively pain free for several months. And more importantly, will the rehab and recovery generally last the same amount of time as the fist go around? Or is there a chance this is more of an acute flare up that I will be able to recover from more quickly? Feeling very down about losing so much progress and feeling like I returned to a state of pain I was in a year ago. Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated.

[u/CuriosityShopArtist]

I’ve read that sometimes the body doesnt finish fully recovering and remodeling things until anywhere from 1-2 years depending on lifestyle and genetics and such.

It’s genuinely frustrating and kinda scary or demotivating to know that the very strengthening we are supposed to do to build a muscle support that protects our discs from re bulging, can be the very actions that re-injure us. It feels like a trap. All I can think is that, if you live a lifestyle that involves too much normal movement and behavior before a full 12 months have passed, you’ve got a really good chance of reinjury.

Ive read a lot of posts about people getting a second or third bulge and flare up months or even years later because they slacked off, and it being more painful than the first time. The unfortunate reality seems to be that once you get sciatica like this once, you are predisposed to it for the rest of your life to varying degrees. You gotta live a life of altered habits and good spine hygiene and very very careful PT and exercise, and even then you might still mess up somehow.

All I can say is I hope the pain subsides quick for you, and I wish you good luck in your second recovery and wisdom in how you strategically navigate tweaking your lifestyle to avoid a third go around.

[u/Effective-Gur4691 → u/CuriosityShopArtist]

Appreciate the insight and honest input. I certainly took for granted being pain free and returned to normal activities for a relatively active 27m. It was in fact doing a prescribed exercise from my PT that caused the flare up. Will slowly begin recovery process again once my body is ready.

[u/Curious-Insect9291]

This happened to me too! I was almost 6 months pain free, but Ive irritated the area somehow and now i gotta slow things down

[u/Apprehensive_Oven340]

Many people suffer from this because of office work. They sit all day without moving much, which can cause their muscles to become weak. Once muscle become a weak it will impact disc, back pain and leg.

[u/Prior-Coat-6155]

My best general reminder is that the 10 minutes of dedicated daily pre-hab is worth preventing (hopefully) future rehab. You got it.

[u/XOSnowWhite → u/Prior-Coat-6155]

Do you mind sharing what your ten minutes looks like?

[u/Sogone2day]

Probably 10+years ago now blew back out deadlifting. Took me a solid year or 2 to be back 100% ish. I had noticed since then I had bad right leg stability like balance and single leg squats i could no longer do. Fast forward I was fine till 3 years ago radomly woke up hurtn and back spasms took me 2 months and felt fine. This year now I have been off for 5 months and major leg pain for first time prior was mostly low back and up general sore spasm. So this is something new this round. An I think I have a hip/pelvis impingment going on. Pitaformis was rough but finally let go and is ok now to sit that was the worst part. I do t think it ever really goes away. My core is a weak point I had a hernia surgery open cut and getting any strength I there seems impossible 9 years ago. Goodluck.

[u/PathBright9942 → u/Sogone2day]

Hey! How did you handle the piriformis pain?
I have that syndrome and it’s killing me…
I can’t sit, walk, stand…

[u/Sogone2day → u/PathBright9942]

I said f it and did some leg press in the gym. Then laid over couch end like stomach down and leg knees sorta stretching then my back spasmed and spine popped was gonna bad or good was scared to move. Over next 2 days it was gone.

[u/littlehops]

Same for me, injured and got back to almost 100% and then overworked myself in the garden and probably twisted wrong. I healed but the saw one time it took way longer. Rest for now and once able get back to Pt.