Sciatica SUCKS! It can cause pain in your back, hip, hamstring, calf, and even your foot! It’s likely that you, or someone close to you has experienced sciatic nerve pain in their lifetime. Some sources suggest that lifetime incidence of sciatic nerve pain is as high as 40%! In this blog I will outline a few ways you can identify if the cause of your lower back pain or leg pain is from your sciatic nerve. Then I will give you some tips on how you can kick your sciatica so you can return to living your best life! 

Here is a list of questions that may help you determine if your symptoms could be coming from an angry sciatic nerve. 

• Is the pain worse in the morning? 
• Does the location of your pain travel up or down your leg depending on your activity level or the position of your body (sitting, standing, lying down)? 
• Does it get worse with forward bending of your torso? 
• Is it worse when sitting on a hard chair?
• Do you always have one hamstring or calf tighter than the other?

While there are several causes of sciatica, here is a list of strategies to try in order to reduce sciatica today!

1. Stop stretching your hamstrings! Your sciatic nerve lives in your hamstring so intuitively it may seem like a good idea to stretch them in order to relieve your symptoms. HOWEVER! A common reason for hamstring tightness is because they are trying to protect the sciatic nerve from being pulled on (i.e not letting your bend forward).
2. Gently mobilize spine with cat cow (especially first thing in the morning). Disc bulge is a common cause of sciatica. Improving the motion of your spine can reduce pressure on your back, thus improving your sciatica!
3. Improve your movement quality. Hinging at your hips instead of rounding your lower back can reduce tension on the sciatic nerve. 
4. Improve sitting posture/chair. Sitting upright with neutral spine position significantly decreases pressure on the discs and nerves in your lower back. Also sitting in an overly hard bottomed chair can place extra pressure on your sciatic nerve as you sit on it. Remember to stand up every 30 minutes for a few seconds to decrease compression on your sciatic nerve!

DISCLAIMER! These are simply some helpful tips to try on your own that MAY be helpful if your lower back or leg pain is coming from your sciatic nerve. Nothing can replace a quality assessment/treatment plan from your healthcare provider.

If you think that you may have sciatica, don’t hesitate to book an exam/treatment at Foundation TODAY! OR if you think that this information could help someone you know (family, friend, coworker, spouse, loved one), forward them this blog or direct them to our website, (www.foundationkelowna.com), Instagram, or facebook for more information.