Bed Rest for Sciatica: A Closer Look at the Evidence.

When managing acute nonspecific low back pain (LBP), bed rest is commonly discouraged as a form of therapy. However, when the picture includes radiating leg pain arising from the lumbar spine, the evidence is less robust. In this Viewpoint, the authors explore evidence pertaining to sciatica, defined as "low back pain with verified neurological deficits," and bed rest as part of the management of radiating leg pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(6):436-438. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.0609.