Sciatica – Treating Leg Pain with Active Release Techniques (ART)

Leg pain. Numbing and tingling. Trouble standing, sitting, and sleeping. If you have ever had any of these issues then you have probably experienced sciatica. Sciatica refers to pain that develops as a result of compressed or irritated nerve. There are a collection of nerves that exit from the lower spinal cord, join together, and form what’s known as the Sciatic nerve.

The nerve travels down the leg, through the hip, thigh, knee, and calf, all the way down to the foot. Because of this channel people who experience Sciatica can often feel symptoms in the leg and foot, and it can often radiate. The sciatic nerve passes between AND through the muscles, which means that if your muscles are loose and flexible, then the nerve is able to glide freely and un-irritated through the leg. If your muscles are tight or adhesions have formed, then that nerve can become pinched and aggravated resulting in pain and discomfort.

What’s important to understand is that Sciatica refers to a group of symptoms, rather than a diagnosis, as a result of an injury or irritation. The most common causes of sciatic pain are rightness in the hip and leg muscles. As you can see in the picture to the left, the nerve is attached to the piriformis muscle, quadricep, hamstring, and calf. If any of these muscles that attach to the sciatic nerve become tight or injured, it can affect the nerve. Sciatica can also result from disc herniation as well, but more commonly from the tight muscles.

So what to do if you experience these symptoms? One of the best at home remedies to calm down irritated nerves is ice. Ice helps to reduce the inflammation which is helping to cause the irritation on the nerve.

Although ice is a great at-home treatment, it will not loosen up the tight muscles and release the pressure on the sciatic nerve. A very effective muscle manipulation technique performed by Chiropractors is called The Active Release Techniques, more commonly known as ART.

ART is a hands-on, soft tissue manipulation that uses the doctor’s hands to target tight muscles and loosen and lengthen them by trigger pointing while actively putting the body through motion. This technique is highly successful in treating muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and nerves.

 If you are suffering from Sciatica give our office a call at (703) 912-7822 or visit us at Chiropractor in Burke, VA.

By Dr. Todd P. Sullivan