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Not Every Pain Down The Leg Is Sciatica

Sciatica seems to be the term used to describe any symptom of pain or discomfort down the leg. Make sure you know the symptoms of sciatica before making a self-diagnosis; you don’t want to create the wrong corrective strategy as this may not work or in some cases make things worse!  

Why is self-diagnosing or incorrect information a problem?

You will still have a leg issue so is this nothing more than semantics, does it really matter what term is used to describe the problem? If you’re going to see a health professional then perhaps not, they should be able to tell you what the issue is (sciatica or otherwise) and set you down a path of rehabilitation that is right for you. On the other hand it is an issue if you’re going to type in to Google ‘how to solve sciatica’ without knowing that sciatica is actually present.

What are the symptoms of TRUE sciatica?

  1. Your sciatic nerve send signals to the outside, front and back of the lower leg as well the top and bottom of the foot, so in true sciatica you’ll experience numbness and tingling to the front, back and outside of the lower leg as well as the top and bottom of the foot.
  2. Your sciatic nerve doesn’t send sensory signals to your thigh; simply put if you’re getting nerve issues in the thigh the sciatic nerve is not to blame. If you have symptoms at the thigh and then down in to the lower leg this is more likely to be something called radiculopathy which will require a different approach entirely.

If you have TRUE sciatica based on the symptoms above, then what are your options?

First things first we always want to go after the obvious. The sciatic nerve is HUGE! It leaves the spine between L4-S3 (your lower lower back) and can often get entrapped at a muscle called the piriformis; the hamstrings are also a common compression site for the sciatic nerve. So if you haven’t been mobilising these two guys and have the common symptoms of true sciatica… get to it (see video links below).

Piriformis – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEqRoCJ6UAY&t=18s

Hamstrings – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axnP8RgJM7I&t=6s

If you have mobilised the piriformis & hamstrings consistently but nothing has changed what are your options?

It may be that despite your efforts to release these entrapment sites that other areas of your body aren’t functioning optimally. In order for your body to let them go and in turn decrease pressure on the sciatic nerve we may need to look elsewhere for answers.

Please feel free to get in touch if you’re struggling and we can create a treatment plan unique to your body, history and pain.

Ben

Call – 07745 039 485

Email – Ben@BenFedrickInjuryTherapy.co.uk

Copyright © 2022 Ben Fedrick Injury Therapy

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