You may wonder just exactly what people are referring to when they say that they suffer from sciatica or that they receive active release therapy for relief of sciatic nerve pain.  Sciatica pain is pain that begins primarily in the lower buttocks and travels down through the leg.  Typically this pain is situated in one leg but can on rare occasions affect both legs.  When people refer to sciatica pain, this pain is really a symptom of an underlying cause or injury.  The term Sciatica comes from the source of the pain originating from the sciatic nerve that begins in the lower back and runs down the back of both legs.

What Causes Sciatica and Sciatic Nerve Pain?

Sciatic Nerve Image

Sciatica pain occurs when there is an injury or damage to the sciatic nerve.  This damage can result from a sports injury, such as golf or tennis, or merely from sitting too long in one position.  Herniated lumbar discs can often be the culprit of sciatic pain because of the inner core, also known as the nucleus pulpous, leaking out of the disk and thus irritating the sciatic nerve.  Golfers and tennis players often suffer from this sort of injury, due to the continual twisting movement that is required by their sport.

Lumbar spinal stenosis may also cause sciatic pain due to the narrowing of the spine; this often occurs naturally, as we age, but sometimes it may occur from a buildup of scar tissue, often times from an old injury.  Sometimes, a small fracture may be the cause of sciatic pain; and a pinching or protrusion of any type of spinal tissue may irritate the sciatic nerve. Sometimes, just the pressure of your baby, while you are pregnant, may cause you to suffer sciatica. Having old scar tissue from a previous injury or simply straining your back is enough to cause a sciatic flare up.

What does Sciatica or Sciatic Nerve Pain feel Like?

You will know when your sciatic nerve is inflamed if you experience a constant and continual pain that radiates from your lower back or buttocks, down through your leg, and often into your foot.  This pain is likely to cause numbness and weakness as well as some tingling.  This pain is often worse in a sitting position and it can often be difficult to walk or stand.  Sometimes a change in position can help to alleviate the pain.

Sciatic pain can vary drastically from one person to another.  Some may experience a dull ache, while others may suffer from an extreme burning sensation.  Regardless of the degree of pain, it is uncomfortable and can be debilitating. In order to relieve and alleviate sciatic pain, the underlying cause must be treated.  This typically means that the sciatic pain is caused by injured and/or over stressed muscles, which may or may not have suffered an actual injury or tear.  Injured muscles often result in a buildup of scar tissue and that scar tissue is likely the predominant cause of the sciatic pain.

Quick List of the Typical Symptoms of Sciatica or Sciatic Nerve Pain:

• Burning or tingling that begins in your lower back or buttocks and travels down the back of your leg and sometimes, on through your foot.
• Weakness or numbness in the back of your leg, starting from your buttocks.
• A Constant and continual dull ache in the buttocks and back of the leg.
• Sharp and stabbing pain that makes walking or sitting painful.

How Can a Seattle Active Release Techniques Provider Relieve My Sciatica?

Using Active Release Techniques for sciatic nerve pain may help to eliminate your sciatic pain by breaking down the scar tissue that is causing the sciatic nerve to become trapped or irritated. In order to alleviate the pain, the root cause must be addressed. By utilizing ART therapy as a physical rehabilitation method, a Seattle active release techniques provider is able to examine and evaluate your body in order to establish the best treatment plan for your sciatic pain.

After your initial examination at a Seattle active release techniques provider, your physical rehabilitation treatment plan will begin. This treatment will be focused on the abnormal muscle, tendons and ligaments that may have suffered damage and scarring from previous injuries or conditions. This scarring causes your muscles to become weaker and shorter. Through active release techniques, a provider is able to massage and use direct pressure on the damaged muscles in order to help them to release and heal. During your injury rehabilitation the provider will use their hands in order to “feel” the way that your muscles respond and move under their hands. Using their hands, they will be able to feel the fibrous and damaged tissue and will be able to begin to break up the scar tissue and lesions, which will allow you freer range of motion and will help to move the damaged tissue away from the sciatic nerve in order to eliminate the sciatic pain.

After several treatments you should begin to feel a greater range of motion as well as less sciatic pain. Once the scar tissue is broken down and eliminated, the pressure on the sciatic nerve will be removed and the feeling of weakness, tingling, and numbness should begin to subside. Without the breakdown of this scar tissue, the sciatic nerve is likely to be compromised and in constant danger of being pinched or pressed upon, thus causing sciatic pain.  Active release therapy will help you to return to your golf or tennis game, gym workouts, or active Seattle lifestyle much quicker than if you allow your damaged muscles to remain untreated.

Top Benefits of Active Release Technique (ART therapy) for Sciatica:

• Direct pressure from ART therapy is used to relieve muscle tension.
• Direct pressure on damaged scar tissue through ART aids the breaking up of the fibrous scar tissue.
• Active Release Techniques break down scar tissue to allow the muscles to move freely.
• Active Release Technique therapy will help to move damaged tissue away from the sciatic nerve.
• Active release therapy will help to free movement and release the pinched sciatic nerve.

Kinetic Sports Rehab is a Seattle active release technique provider and physical rehabilitation center located in the downtown Fremont district.  We specialize in injury rehabilitation from sports injuries, car accidents, and workplace accident injury.  Kinetic has a client centric focus on ensuring all of our patients receive customized treatment to their specific injuries and conditions and that patients are simultaneously educated in better ways of working out, eating, and living a healthier active lifestyle without pain.  If you would like to schedule an appointment for active release therapy please call us at (206) 547-0707 or click here to schedule an appointment online.