Nerves are not passive wiring. They have to slide and lengthen as you move — the sciatic nerve travels several centimeters through your leg every time you take a step. When a nerve loses that ability to glide freely, the symptoms are distinctive: burning, tingling, numbness, electric or shooting pain, and often a tightness that stretching makes worse rather than better.
Dr. Vahldick is certified through Neurodynamic Solutions (NDS), the system developed by Michael Shacklock for assessing and treating this specific problem.
Nerve-driven pain is regularly mistaken for a muscle problem. A hamstring that feels perpetually tight and never loosens no matter how much you stretch it is a classic example — it is frequently not the hamstring at all, but restricted sciatic nerve mobility. Treating it as a muscle can make it worse, because aggressive stretching irritates an already sensitized nerve.
Neurodynamic testing moves the nerve through its path while holding other variables constant, which distinguishes nerve tissue from muscle and joint as the source. That distinction changes the entire treatment plan.
Rather than stretching, treatment restores the nerve’s ability to glide, using graded movements that mobilize the nerve without provoking it. Dosage matters enormously here — too much is counterproductive, which is why this is not a technique to improvise with.
Sciatica, radiating arm pain, carpal tunnel symptoms, persistent hamstring tightness, thoracic outlet symptoms, and post-surgical nerve sensitivity.
Often paired with the McKenzie Method when a disc is contributing. Get assessed.