The Connection Between Sports Injuries and Sciatica Pain

Your sciatic nerve starts at the buttock and extends down the leg to your foot. It starts where nerve roots meet at your lower spine and parallels the piriformis (muscle that runs diagonally across the buttocks and connects the lower spine and top of the thigh bone) before splitting into the two branches that go down each leg. The sciatic nerve is important for motor control and sensations in your legs and feet. Premium Sports and Orthopedics dives into the cause of this pain and what you can do to mitigate it. 

Understanding What Sciatica Is and What Causes It

Sciatica is a condition involving pain at some point along the sciatic nerve’s path. Because the pain isn’t always in the exact spot on a person, it can present in different ways.

The pain may be intense and feeling almost like burning pain or a dull ache. It can feel like a sudden jolt of electricity that goes down the leg or a numb, tingling sensation. It may make your leg or foot feel weak and hard to maneuver. It’s often worse if you sit for a while, so you find it better to stand up.

Sciatica is more common in:

• People between the ages of 20 and 50
• People who are overweight.
• People whose job involves a lot of sitting, such as a truck driver or data entry clerk.
• People who work in positions that require a lot of twisting or carrying heavy weights.
• People with diabetes.
• People with a sedentary lifestyle.

Several different injuries can cause sciatic pain. It’s usually a case of a herniated disc or bone spur that presses against the nerves in the lumbar spine. This triggers inflammation and pain that travels down the leg through the sciatic nerve. In most cases, pain management and rest resolve the pain within a few weeks.

The problem is that many things can cause sciatica. Some are more likely, and others, such as a tumor, are less common. It’s important to talk to a doctor to determine if it’s sciatica or something more.

What Sports Injuries Are Most Likely to Cause Sciatica?

In terms of sports injuries, most cases of sciatica involve compression of the sciatic nerve, which is why a herniated disc or bone spur are the most common cause. Other sports injuries can lead to this painful condition.

• A compression fracture in the spine
• A pelvic fracture
• A hard blow specifically to the sciatic nerve during a contact sport
• A hard landing after a fall or jump
• A tight piriformis muscle from twisting the hips repeatedly, such as golf and tennis

Tiger Woods is an example of an athlete who deals with sciatica. His lifetime playing golf led to bulging discs and sciatica. NBA’s Ben Simmons had to have surgery on a herniated disc that triggered sciatica. NFL’s Tony Romo also suffered a herniated disc and pinched nerve that triggered sciatica.

Any sport where players make quick spins, twists, and rotations is more likely to cause sciatic pain. Repetitive motions, a lot of fast bending, or hard falls also increase the risk of sciatica. Even the fittest athlete can injure the lower spine or an actual nerve in a collision, fall, or sudden twist.

The Link Between Injuries and Sciatica Pain

How do these sports injuries trigger sciatica pain? When the nerves at the base of the spine become inflamed or experience pressure from a bulging disc, strained muscle, or extraneous bone growth, they press against the sciatic nerve. 

Pressure on that nerve causes the sharp, often shooting pain, that may radiate all of the way down one or both legs. Because the pain can be severe, it increases the risk of additional injury. If you’re catching a football and twist, tuck, and start to run, sciatica may suddenly appear and make you stumble. A fall following that stumble could cause additional injuries. You need to address sciatica as soon as you can.

Diagnosing Sciatica

If you suspect you have sciatica, you need to see a doctor. That doctor will go over your medical history and examine you. An MRI or X-rays may help diagnose the condition. If the exam or tests show you have sciatica from a sports injury, your doctor will go over the treatment plan, which may include injections for pain relief, over-the-counter NSAIDs like Advil, physical therapy, and rest.

Your doctor might run what’s called the Straight Leg Test (SLR). You lie on the exam table and the doctor lifts your leg into a 90-degree angle. If you experience pain that radiates down the leg past the knee, it’s indicative that sciatica is a problem.

The Bragard Test is another option where the doctor lowers your leg and twists your foot slightly to one side and then the other. The movement of the ankle and pain you experience helps pinpoint what nerves are inflamed.

Several similar tests may be performed for a thorough understanding of what is going on with your leg and its nerves. Because the sciatic nerve isn’t the only set of nerves in your legs, it’s important for your doctor to also consider femoral, peroneal, and posterior tibial nerve pain.

Preventing or Easing Sciatic Pain Following a Sports Injury

If you have sciatica, what is a doctor likely to recommend? It’s a multi-layered approach.

You need to address an underlying sports injury. If you have a herniated disc, a tight piriformis muscle, or a pelvis fracture, those must be treated properly by a sports and orthopedics doctor. You may be advised to work with a physical therapist to master safer ways to do things like land after a jump or position your feet to avoid additional strain while playing golf.

Get enough rest. Your body needs time to heal, and it’s not going to do that if you keep playing. Determine what movement is okay during an appointment with a sports medicine specialist. Don’t go beyond what’s recommended as your nerves heal.

Manage the pain and inflammation. Don’t try to tough it out. If you’re in pain and don’t address it, your stress and anxiety increase, which is counterproductive to healing. Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are best for this. Medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the two most used. Ask your sciatica specialist for advice on how often to take them. 

Make sure you maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, work with a doctor to create a medically-advised weight loss program. 

Don’t sit around as you rest. You still need to get up and move, but you need to do so carefully. Go on walks at a slower pace, engage in beginner Tai Chi or Yoga classes that your doctor approves, get in a pool and swim laps, or ride a bike. Swimming is especially helpful as your buoyancy relieves some of the pressure on your joints and muscles.

Use ice packs or heating pads as needed to ease discomfort. You may need to try different heat settings and compare that to ice packs to determine which helps the most.

Consult With a Sciatica Expert

See a doctor who specializes in sports and orthopedics. You need the professional diagnosis in order to establish a treatment plan that heals your body and ends the sciatica without increasing the risk of reinjury weeks or months from now.

Sciatica pain doesn’t have to keep you from the game. Schedule a visit with the medical team at Premium Sports & Orthopedics for an assessment of your pain and past sports injuries to determine the best way to ease pain and get you back out on the field or course and back practicing with your team.