Sciatic nerve pain is swelling of the sciatic nerve triggering burning discomfort, numbness as well as prickling along the back of the leg and also down into the foot. If you are experiencing pain that seems unrelated to these sensations, refer to our general hip pain blog to read more about other causes.
An overview of the Sciatic Nerve
Originating in the back, 5 nerves come together to form the large sciatic nerve. It forms underneath the glutes and runs completely down the back of the leg in between the muscle mass of the hamstring. At the knee, the sciatic nerve divides to form the tibial and peroneal nerve. These nerves continue to branch as well, as they after that go off to other branches down into the foot. While it's no longer called the sciatic nerve past the knee, sciatic nerve pain can affect all the branches that form as the sciatic nerve splits.
How does the sciatic nerve become irritated?
The sciatic nerve is often irritated through chemical means (inflammation), mechanical means (compression or friction). Repetitive movements are one of the more common ways the nerve gets irritated: if the nerve is exposed to repetitive compression or friction and doesn't have time to heal, sciatica can develop.
Common areas that this compression or friction occur is in the buttock and hamstrings due to compression from hip rotators, sitting pressure, or compression from hamstring muscle bellies.
Just like sciatic symptoms can start in the buttock and move down, nerve compression in the nerves that form the sciatic nerve can also result in similar symptoms. That's why practitioners often assess the discs in your back and nerve roots from the spine when ruling out potential causes.
Can physical therapy fix sciatica?
Definitely! As physical therapists, it is our job to determine which part of the sciatic nerve is getting compressed/irritated, and see if we can reduce that irritation with physical therapy. That may involve reducing tension in the muscles that frequently compress the sciatic nerve (like the piriformis and hamstrings) and strengthening the muscles that better support the back, hip and pelvis. It may also involve reducing tension in the deep stabilizers of the back to reduce possible nerve compression and strengthening the core to prevent a recurrence of compression tightness.
If you are unsure as to what is causing your sciatica, perform an evaluation with a local physical therapist to see if they can help. A thorough evaluation of sciatica should include assessments of the low back, hip, and possibly the pelvis, knee, or ankle if previous injuries were present.
Physical therapy for sciatica in Brookhaven and Atlanta, GA
If you have sciatica pain, physical therapy can help! We can loosen up muscles and connective tissue around the nerve to improve pain and quality of life. Reach out to our office today!
