Sciatica is too common
"It's my sciatic" is a phrase we hear all of the time.

Sciatica is a common after a lifting injury, fall, or motor vehicle accident.

Sciatica refers to pain traveling down the back of your thigh and leg. Sometimes the pain is localized in the hip and butt region.

This type of pain is very common after a lifting injury, a fall, or a motor vehicle accident. It is also quite common in the athletic population. Runners and athletes in contact sports often experience sciatica. 

The sciatic nerve travels from your lower back (lumbar spine)into your leg. First, it travels by the piriformis muscle. It then travels along the back of your thigh, down into your foot.

The most common cause of sciatica is a disc injury. Either a disc bulge or disc herniation.

If you are younger than 50, or have a history of disc injury, this is a likely cause of your sciatica.

Disc injuries are common after trauma. Motor vehicle accidents or a large tackle for example. If you experience sciatica after a trauma or accident, it may be due to a disc injury in your lower back.

If you are over 60 years of age, stenosis is a common cause of sciatica.

Stenosis is a narrowing of the spine. Stenosis in your lower back, often associated with aging, is a common cause of sciatica. Sciatica may occur in one, or both of your legs.

Classic signs of stenosis symptoms include:

  • Worsening sciatica the further and longer you walk
  • Sitting down for a few minutes alleviates your sciatica symptoms
  • You can walk much further, and for a longer time if you lean forward when walking, typically on a shopping cart
Our team of chiropractors are experts in finding the cause of your sciatica. We treat the cause of your sciatica so that you can get back to doing what you love.