Way too many folks suffer from an elusive electric pain down one or both of their legs and sometimes low back and butt known as sciatica. Sciatica can occur any time there is an impingement on the sciatic nerve which starts in the lumbar spine (low back) and travels all the way down the leg. This is our largest nerve and is responsible for a large percentage of the total enervation of the lower leg.
When this bad boy gets compressed or agitated, you better believe it will spell problems for you. There are generally two types of sciatica. Nerve root compression is the more serious variety and occurs when there is an impingement stemming from the vertebra, often times being a bulging disk. If this is the case, see a professional for advice.
The most important question with any ache, pain or not so fun random shot of electricity down our arms or legs is why. We do not ask this question nearly enough, or at all, and it is pertinent we change that paradigm. If we are sitting on our butts or moving dysfunctionally the majority of the day, it’s only logical our bodies will begin sending distress signals. Releasing the tissue around the sciatic nerve is only the beginning. From there, we absolutely must reeducate ourselves to move in such a way that every moment is progress instead of just keeping pathology at bay.
In this video, you learn how to relieve compression on the sciatic nerve around the posterior hip. This is called pseudo-sciatica or piriformis syndrome and often times is the culprit for the electric pain we call sciatica. By easing the tissue around this area, it will create space for the sciatic nerve to move freely and will likely help ease the electric pain you are experiencing.