One of the more commonly mis-diagnosed ailments is sciatica. You get off a long airline flight or have pain down your leg after a day of long meetings at work. You then look up symptoms on the internet and come to the conclusion that you have sciatica. Sciatica refers to pain from the sciatic nerve which branches from the lower back through the hips and glutes into a single leg. It typically happens down one leg. Full disclaimer, I’m not medical doctor nor a chiropractor, so I’m not providing a diagnosis for you, but I do have people come to our studio to train sometimes complaining of hip pain. Before I refer them out, we’ve used a strategy at the studio that has been successful in getting them out of pain. If you experience a lot of sitting (and we all do), you’re more prone to get tight shortened muscles in the glute area. A tight or shortened gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and piriformis are typically the culprits of the problem and pain.
The piriformis is usually, considered shortened and tight in piriformis syndrome.
Physical therapist, Shirley Sahrmann, explains in Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes, that the pain can also exist with a lengthened piriformis. The piriformis along with other lateral rotators frequently become weak or stiff. People who stand with their hips extended with the upper back in a sway position can also partially blame posture as part of the problem. Standing in this position with feet externally rotated out can create tightness in the lateral thigh (Iliotibial band). Tight iliotibial bands, or IT bands, then create an ache or burning sensation commonly considered sciatica.
What we’ve found at the studio that by combining tissue work in the form of rolling the IT band and glute medius with either a ball or roller then stretching the piriformis can clean up this problem. To see an example of rolling the IT band, click the link below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzLCrwAnUCo/?igshid=rwv4j658i5ur
Rolling the Gluteus medius using a SuperNova ball
Applying the figure four stretch
You’re not out of the woods yet. It’s common to get temporary relief and then have the problem come back the next day. If you want the correction “to stick”, you must make the correction with the central nervous system. To synch everything with the central nervous system is where posture considerations are key. Trying to maintain a neutral alignment is important in keeping the problem from reoccurring. What is neutral alignment? Neutral alignment includes minimizing a rib flare when standing by stacking the ribcage over the pelvis, avoiding a sway back and anterior pelvic tilt, and being conscious of foot alignment (over pronation or external rotation). My purpose for providing this brief explanation is to give some insight that the pain down your leg may or may not be sciatica. If you suffer from an achy hip after sitting for long durations, give these fixes a try and see if they provide you with some relief.