'Sciatica' & leg pain
‘Sciatica’ presents as pain radiating from the back into the buttock and down the back of the leg (or legs) and is usually caused by the compression of the lower lumbar nerves as they exit the lumbar spine due to wear and tear or trauma. Occasionally ‘sciatica’ symptoms can also result from compression of these same nerves by the piriformis muscle in the buttock (when the pain usually radiates from the buttock down the back of the leg) or by increased weight-bearing during pregnancy. Symptoms include pain, tingling or numbness in one or both of the legs made worse by sitting, bending and lifting.
Leg pain can also be caused by circulatory problems, sporting injuries and, more abstractedly, biomechanical problems such as an imbalanced gait, leg length differences or collapsed arches in the feet.
All these issues can be dealt with effectively with the Osteopath as they restore the balance of the structure and function of the whole body using a variety of treatment modalities.
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