Sciatica
What is sciatica?
Understanding what sciatica is and is not is key to taking the appropriate measures to ease your discomfort. Sciatica is nerve irritation of the sciatic nerve. This can present as numbness, tingling, pain or weakness in the low back, glute, back of the thigh, calf, ankle and/or foot. This typically occurs as a result of irritation at the erve roots of L4-S3 but can also be a result of impingement in the piriformis muscle.
If you’re experiencing back or leg pain, it’s important to determine whether your pain is caused by the sciatic nerve or another factor in order to appropriately treat your pain. Sacroiliac joint pain and other causes of low back pain are often confused for sciatica. If you’re not sure if your symptoms are coming from nerves or something else, start with an evaluation with our PTs to determine the root cause of your discomfort.
Why does sciatica happen?
Sciatica occurs as a result of compression on the sciatic nerve, either at the spine or in the piriformis muscle down the leg. Nerves like space to slide and glide without restriction, and when that space is compressed for any reason, nerves can become painful or trigger numbness, weakness or tingling sensations.
Common causes of sciatica include assuming a posture that creates compression in the low back, weakness in the abdominals, glutes or spinal stabilizers and anatomical causes such as the sciatic nerve piercing through the piriformis muscle rather than traveling behind it.
Tips to manage sciatic pain:
If you’re a back sleeper, sleep with a pillow under your knees. Laying on your back with extended legs brings your low back into an extended position, placing additional stress on the lumbar spine, further compressing the sciatic nerve. Placing a pillow under your knees brings your low back into a more neutral position, taking stress off the low back and creating more space around the sciatic nerve.
Practice standing with equal weight distribution between both legs. If you’re someone who likes to stand with one hip cocked to the side, this creates rotation and asymmetrical stress through the lumbar spine, compressing the space around the sciatic nerve on one side. Keeping your weight even between your feet will help remove that stress.
Sit with your legs parallel and avoid crossing your legs. For the same reason as wanting equal weight distribution, sitting with legs crossed can irritate back and sciatic pain. Try keeping your weight even between your sit bones.
Here are three exercises that can help reduce sciatic nerve pain:
Sciatic nerve glides: This should be entirely pain free. Lay on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Grab one leg behind the thigh with both hands, bringing your hip to a supported 90 degree bed. Slowly straighten your leg, stabilizing your thigh with your hands, and point your toe towards the ceiling. If you start feeling pulling in the back of your leg you’ve gone too far. Then slowly bend your knee back to 90 degrees, pulling your toes towards your nose. Repeat 20-30 times, a few times a day.
Perform pelvic tilts: Start on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Use your core to tuck your tailbone under your body, bringing your low back flat to the floor. Pause and then slowly release, allowing your pelvis and hips to rock forward, lifting your low back off the floor. Repeat 20-30 times, a few times a day.
Figure 4 Stretch: Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross one ankle over opposite knee and reach behind the opposite knee with both hands. Gently support your knee towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the opposite hip. Hold 45 seconds, repeat 2-3 times.
If you’re experiencing what you think may be sciatic symptoms, get set up for an appointment with our team today. We offer in-person pelvic floor PT visits in our clinic in Austin, TX and virtual appointments for those all over the world. Contact us here to get started.
