My Sciatic Nerve
December 23, 2007 by Scott Wharton
Filed under Men's Health
In the past month I have been experiencing a slightly annoying pain in the back of my right thigh. At first I didn’t think anything of it because it kinda felt as if I overstretched my hamstring, but after it persisted for while I mentioned it to someone at work and they said it could be my sciatic nerve.
Upon doing some research on it, I found that it’s probably just that. It’s not a strong pain, it’s more like a “growing” pain, or as I said before, feeling of an overstretched hamstring. A pain that only comes once in awhile and is very faint and easily shrugged off. As I read more into it it seems like something that maybe I should get checked out because it could progress to Sciatica.
The sciatic nerve can be irritated by a number of things, but mainly because of compressions in the lower spine. This could be my case and may stem from strain on my spine from heavy lifting at work, or doing dead-lifts with too much weight as I have done in the past to which the symptoms started soon after. I found a lot of good information here Spine-health.com.
Scott- you are right in your assumptions concerning compression in the lumbar spine possibly being a factor in your sciatic pain. Standard medical practice suggest this usually supported by Xrays or and MRI. I sounds like you have some experience lifting weights but are unaware of all of the parameter of “proper form” as everyone suggests. Doing deadlifts too heavy is not the reason for your back strain. Rather doing deadlifts improperly is the real cause. Done properly with proper spine positioning, performing a deadlift that is too heavy is impossible because the weight won’t move. The problem comes from a person not maintaining proper body position and persisting on attempting to perform the lift. As an example, I have a Grade 3, Spondylolythesis for over 40 years and it is heavy squatting and deadlifting that keeps my back injury from causing me and pain or dysfunction. I have to keep my hips strong and functional and at 58, I still have no arthritis or back pain in spite of my spine fracture and I deadlift and squat both in the mid 500’s. These are competition quality not gym lifts that are done half way or off a power rack. It can be done but proper body alignment and mechanics must be adhered to. As I said, everyone talks a good game but no one truly understands how to implement all the necessary components to insure maximum body function. To learn more, I suggest you visit my website. To summarize, sciatica is a result of improper hip function and lack of spine position. Both of these issues are something that you have to address.
Thanks, Doug. You are probably 100% correct on me not properly executing the move right. I also have terrible posture and somewhere in the mix I have had lower back issues probably because of the same type of stress caused by trying to lift something the wrong way at work or home. Another problem I have is poor flexibility and I don’t stretch enough either, so bending down to pick the weights up for the dead-lift was most likely the beginning of the problem before I even started to lift. I’ll take a look at your site and maybe even do a writeup and link to it.
Nutrition is a factor as well. I’ve gotten some relief from adjusting my diet and using herbal remedies.