We hear the term being thrown around quite often, but what does it really mean to have sciatica? I first heard about sciatica when I started going to the gym. As a newbie to the gym, I wanted to be able to compete with the best. A combination of ego lifting and poor form was the start of my downfall. This caused me to suffer a disc bulge in my lower back which progressed to excruciating sciatica pain.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica refers to pain that is felt from the sciatic nerve which runs from your lower back to the side of the buttock, and down to the foot. Nerve pain is often described as an electric shock, and/or a burning sensation. Fortunately, it is often only felt on one side. In my case it was my left lower back and buttock.

But, what causes it?

Compression of the sciatic nerve is the most common mechanism to cause sciatica. A few ways this can occur is:

• A disc bulge in the lower back
• Tight hip or glute muscles, particularly the piriformis muscle.
• Whiplash during a motor vehicle accident.

So, what can you do if you currently experience sciatica?

Generally the best thing to do is to keep moving! Stretching out the tight muscles around the lower back, glutes and even your hamstring can definitely give some temporary relief.

Below is a stretch that you can do to help your low back pain:

Piriformis stretch

• Lay on your back and bring the knee to your chest
• Pull your knee towards your opposite shoulder with the opposite hand for a deep buttock stretch.
• Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat on the other side. This can be repeated throughout the day.

Should I use Ice or Heat?

If your sciatica symptoms have occurred within 24-72 hours and are “fresh”, ice is recommended. Heat would be best applied for symptoms felt after the 72 hours. For more information on when and how to apply these hot or cold modalities, check out Sports Chiropractors Guide to Hot V Cold for Injuries.

So, can chiropractic help my lower back pain and sciatica, you ask?

Chiropractic can definitely help! All physical therapists tend to tackle sciatica differently, however at My Sports Chiropractor we aim to find the root cause of the issue. Here’s how we’ll treat your low back pain and sciatica:

1. We’ll ask you a series of questions to get a better understanding of how your injury has occurred.

2. We’ll run you through a comprehensive examination to determine whether your injury is in fact sciatica and what has caused this excruciating pain in the first place.

3. We’ll provide you with treatment to help take pressure off the nerve using treatment techniques such as deep tissue massage, and gentle joint mobilisations and manipulations. We’ll encourage further movement by incorporating several stretching techniques which provide significant relief for nerve pain.

4. Lastly, we’ll provide you with effective exercises to take home to help strengthen your back to prevent sciatica and low back pain from reoccurring.

Sciatica isn’t something you set right and forget. It needs to be managed ongoing. Let our practitioners have a look at it for you and develop strategies to help you long term. You can book and appointment with us by clicking here or call our practice on 0435819286.

Caitlin Tai