Is Massage Good For Sciatic Pain? Here's The Real Answer

Is Massage Good for Sciatic Pain?

Yes, massage can be highly effective for sciatic pain — but only if it's done right. Sciatica is often the result of nerve irritation caused by muscle tension, joint dysfunction, or movement imbalances. The sciatic nerve runs deep through the glutes, hips, and legs, and when tissues around it get tight or overworked, pain radiates down the leg.

At Melbourne Soft Tissue Therapy, we don’t just rub where it hurts. We use targeted techniques like dry needling, trigger point therapy, cupping, and movement education to reduce nerve pressure, increase mobility, and stop flare-ups at the source. The goal isn’t just short-term pain relief — it’s fixing the reason your sciatic nerve got irritated in the first place.

What Causes Sciatic Pain? Sciatic pain is typically caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve.

Common culprits include:

• Tight glutes and piriformis muscles

• Lumbar disc issues

• Poor posture from long-term sitting

• Movement dysfunctions or imbalances

• Weak core or glutes leading to compensation patterns

Client Story: Emma, a local runner and hairdresser, came to us with chronic sciatic pain. She'd tried physios, GPs, and pills. After 3 sessions of deep tissue work, dry needling, and glute activation drills, her pain dropped significantly. Within 6 weeks, she was pain-free and running again.

How Massage Helps Relieve Sciatic Pain Massage works by:

• Reducing muscle tension that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve

• Improving blood flow to calm inflammation

• Releasing trigger points in the glutes and hips

• Encouraging better movement and posture habits

But it must be targeted. A fluffy massage won't touch the deep tissues around the sciatic nerve. At MSTT, we take the time to assess your movement, your history, and your daily lifestyle to figure out what actually caused the problem.

Treatments we use include:

• Deep Tissue Massage

• Myotherapy

• Dry Needling

• Cupping Therapy

• Movement Correction Exercises

When Massage Alone Isn’t Enough Massage can reduce symptoms, but if the underlying issue isn’t addressed, the pain will return.

This is why:

• We look at your sitting habits, footwear, work setup, and training loads

• We prescribe strength drills for your core, glutes, and hips

• We educate you on how to stay out of pain for good

Client Testimonial: "Had chronic back pain for 4 months after falling down stairs. Within a few sessions I was completely recovered. Mick's massage and dry needling gave me instant relief from pain." – Mark Shirreff

Book a Sciatic Relief Session

If you’re ready to stop Googling ‘is massage good for sciatic pain’ and actually fix the problem, book a session at Melbourne Soft Tissue Therapy. We’ll assess the root cause, release the tension, and get you back to living pain-free.

👉 Book your session now and start moving better today.

Internal Links:

• Dry Needling Thornbury

• Cupping Therapy Massage

• Running Gait Analysis

  
  

Mick Breen is a Myotherapist and founder of Melbourne Soft Tissue Therapy in Thornbury. With over 18 years of experience, he's helped thousands of active people beat pain and move better using hands-on treatment, movement retraining, and real-world advice that works.