Chiropractic patients often present with sciatica, a pain in the back of the leg. This pain can be caused by several conditions, but the most common cause is compression of the nerve roots as they exit the spine. I included two pictures for this post today. The first picture show a lateral (side) view of your spine. The exiting nerves from levels L4-S1 in the picture are what make your sciatic nerve. These three nerves join together and then travel all the way down your leg. They bifurcate (split) at your knee and then continue all the way into your foot. This nerve gives you most of your motor movement of your leg and foot as well as sensation.
This neve can become impinged when it exits the spine causing the nerve to elicit pain in the back of the leg, buttocks, feet and even low back in the SI joints (hip joints). Another common cause is called piriformis syndrome. In the second picture you will see the piriformis muscle. This muscle provides external rotation of your foot and can become inflamed with prolonged sitting, especially with a wallet in your back pocket (don’t make this rookie mistake guys). Rotation of your pelvis can also cause strain on this muscle and irritation to the sciatic nerve.
So what is the Big Idea for today? Chiropractic care can correct the rotation and impingement on your sciatic nerve where it starts, in your spine. Adjustments can also decrease the pain and inflammation caused by the piriformis muscle. Elements Chiropractic has electric stimulation therapy, intersegmental traction and of course Dr. Myers’ hands to correct sciatica. The typical patient experiences relief after about two weeks of care. Don’t live with back and leg pain, call Elements Chiropractic or just email us from our website.
