Pain in any area of your body can be frustrating. However, having pain in one of your lower extremities can have a significant impact on your everyday routines. There’s a common type of pain that starts at the lower back and can radiate down through the buttocks and legs, called sciatica. This pain can make it difficult to carry out your day-to-day tasks, such as walking up the stairs in your home and standing up from your chair at work.

Sciatica affects up to 40% of people at some point in their lives, with the pain commonly developing in people in their 40s. Sciatica, also known as lumbar radiculopathy, is mainly characterized by pain that travels along the sciatic nerve, which starts at the base of the spine and runs down the back of each leg. As with many types of conditions, there isn’t just one exact reason for sciatica. However, learning about the different potential causes of sciatic pain can give you insight on which treatments will be the most effective.

We’ll discuss common causes of sciatica as well as risk factors that may contribute to developing it. Then we’ll explore how Lattimore Physical Therapy can help treat your sciatic nerve pain. 

5 possible causes for sciatica 

Sciatic pain occurs when there’s pressure or injury to the sciatic nerve. It often starts in the spine and radiates down the nerve. While your sciatic nerve runs down the back of both of your legs to the heels of your feet, sciatic pain is often only felt on one side of the body. Along with pain, you may also experience numbness or weakness in your leg muscles.

If you’ve discussed your symptoms with your general physician and they’ve diagnosed you with sciatica, they may also be able to narrow down the likely cause of the pain. Here are a few common causes of sciatica:

• Bone spur — An overgrowth on the spinal bone is called a bone spur or an osteophyte. It can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing it to become pinched, leading to sciatic pain and weakness. Your primary care doctor can confirm if bone spurs are the cause of your sciatica using diagnostic tests, such as an X-ray.

• Herniated disc — Your spinal discs have a tough outer covering, called the annulus, and a soft inner nucleus. When the nucleus slips through a crack in the annulus, it’s called having a herniated or slipped disc. A herniated disc can rub against the nerve roots that lead to the sciatic nerve, causing pain and weakness. Sciatica is one symptom of a herniated disc, along with shooting pain from the neck to the arm or leg, muscle spasms, and decreased reflexes. A slipped disc is the most common cause of sciatica.

• Spinal stenosis — It’s possible for sciatica to be caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal, called spinal stenosis, leading to reduced space inside the spinal column. This condition can lead to sciatica because the canal puts excessive pressure on the nerve roots that impact the sciatic nerve. Along with sciatica, a narrow spinal canal can also lead to leg cramps, foot drop and sexual dysfunction.

• Osteoarthritis — Arthritis can form in nearly any area of the body, including the spine. The most common type of arthritis that affects the spine is osteoarthritis. Lumbar spine osteoarthritis has a prevalence rate of up to 85%. It’s a degenerative disease that can cause the cartilage between the joints to break down over time. This can lead to irritation of the sciatic nerve. It can also increase the risk of developing a herniated disc, another common cause of sciatica.

• Pelvic injury — Your sciatic nerve goes through an opening in your pelvic bone, called the greater sciatic foramen, to reach your thigh. That’s why a pelvic injury or fracture can lead to sciatica. If the nerve becomes pinched when you fall off your bike onto your buttocks or you are in a high-impact car accident, you may develop sciatica, which can also impact your pelvic floor functions.

Risk factors for sciatica 

While it’s important to know about the common causes of sciatica, it can also be helpful to learn about the risk factors that increase the likelihood of someone developing sciatica. In this context risk factors refer to things that increase the chance of developing a herniated disc, bone growth or pelvic injury that may lead to sciatica.

Here are common risk factors for sciatica:

• Age — As you get older, your body’s natural wear and tear can lead to degeneration of the muscles, bones and nerves surrounding your spine, increasing the chance of pinched nerves and herniated discs.

• Obesity — When there is excessive strain placed on the spine during everyday activities, it can contribute to sciatic pain. Being overweight means that there’s more pressure on your spine to carry your body weight throughout your day.

• Job requirements — You have a higher risk of developing a slipped disc if your job requires repeatedly carrying heavy objects or repetitive twisting motions. It can also occur if you spend an extended amount of time sitting at your desk.

• Posture — Poor posture can irritate your sciatic nerve, potentially leading to sciatica. Sitting with a curved back or tilted hips can put excessive pressure on your lower back, leading to sciatic nerve pain.

• Pregnancy — Sciatica is a common pregnancy symptom that mostly develops during the third trimester. Along with weight gain, your body is shifting your center of gravity forward, which can result in a pinched nerve. Your body is also releasing hormones that soften your spine’s connective tissue, increasing the chance of a herniated disc.

If you believe that you have one or more of these risk factors, talk to your doctor about preventive measures that you can incorporate into your day-to-day life. 

Lattimore Physical Therapy can help sciatic nerve pain (no matter the cause)

Sciatic nerve pain can interfere with your overall quality of life if left untreated. If your general physician has diagnosed you with sciatica, they’ll likely turn you toward the option of physical therapy.

At Lattimore Physical Therapy, we can help nearly every patient with their sciatica, regardless of the cause. The goal of physical therapy for sciatica is to alleviate your pain while improving the strength, flexibility and overall function of the soft tissue surrounding your sciatic nerve. The right treatments will also address any associated symptoms of the cause of your sciatica, such as pelvic floor dysfunction or decreased reflexes.

There are a variety of treatments that your Lattimore physical therapist may include in your personalized treatment plan, including spinal decompression, manual therapy and therapeutic exercises. We’ll determine which options are right for you based on the evaluation that we will carry out in your first visit with us. 

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment to address your sciatica and contributing causes.