The sciatic nerve branches from the spinal cord in the lower back and travels all the way down the leg, branching off into smaller nerves before ending. When the spine becomes compressed, tilted, or misaligned where the sciatic nerves branch off from the spinal cord and exit the spine down the leg, it can pinch the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve, about the size of your little finger. When it gets compressed or pinched, it can cause powerful, radiating pain down the leg. The pain may not feel like it’s originating from the lower back, but rather like someone is stabbing the leg or calf muscle.

The lower spine is the center of the body and is surrounded by large muscle groups. These muscles, like the psoas, work hard to maintain upright posture and support the body. Muscles work in pairs, front and back, left and right. When one or more muscles becomes stronger or tighter than its counterbalancing muscles, an imbalance is created. This imbalance can cause the base of the spine to become tilted, compressing the vertebrae on one or more sides. It is this compression that pinches the sciatic nerve, leading to the painful symptoms.

The sciatic nerve branches from the spinal cord in the lower back and travels all the way down the leg, branching off into smaller nerves before ending. When the spine becomes compressed, tilted, or misaligned where the sciatic nerves branch off from the spinal cord and exit the spine down the leg, it can pinch the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve, about the size of your little finger. When it gets compressed or pinched, it can cause powerful, radiating pain down the leg. The pain may not feel like it’s originating from the lower back, but rather like someone is stabbing the leg or calf muscle.

The lower spine is the center of the body and is surrounded by large muscle groups. These muscles, like the psoas, work hard to maintain upright posture and support the body. Muscles work in pairs, front and back, left and right. When one or more muscles becomes stronger or tighter than its counterbalancing muscles, an imbalance is created. This imbalance can cause the base of the spine to become tilted, compressing the vertebrae on one or more sides. It is this compression that pinches the sciatic nerve, leading to the painful symptoms.

This imbalance can have a cascading effect, causing other muscles to tense up to prevent painful movement or further injury. This can result in the lower back and hip muscles becoming tense and “frozen,” perhaps even going into acute spasm. Unfortunately, many people find themselves in this situation throughout the day, which can understandably make them a bit grumpy.

Sciatic pain can also be caused by traumatic injury to the lower spine, which may require breaking through scar tissue and adhesions in addition to relieving tension. The process is essentially the same as for imbalance-related sciatic pain, but it may take longer to achieve and require more consistent, dedicated effort to restore mobility to the traumatized spine. However, based on my own experience and that of my students, I believe this approach can be effective, even for severe cases.

Qigong exercises, with their focus on deep breathing, slow movements, and mind-body connection, can thoroughly relax the lower back and pelvis, helping to level the hips and create proper posture. Many Qigong methods have specific postures or movements that facilitate the release of lower back and pelvic tension, while deep abdominal breathing helps open and relax these areas, restoring the muscular and skeletal balance that can relieve sciatic pain.

Tui Na Massage, with its therapeutic touch, is highly effective for addressing lower back trauma, chronic tension, and imbalances. Tui Na practitioners have considerable expertise in releasing tension from the psoas muscle and manually opening the lower back and pelvic joints. A single Tui Na session can often be enough to relieve the issues created by tension and tightness, and while it may take longer to resolve scar tissue from traumatic injury, Tui Na Massage remains an effective approach.

Xingyiquan, or “Form and Will Boxing,” is a combat-oriented style of Kung Fu with deep connections to traditional Chinese medicine, philosophy, and Tui Na Massage. The primary stance of Xingyiquan, the Three Treasure Stance, is a Qigong standing position used for foundation training, warm-up, and fighting. In this stance, the weight is primarily on the rear leg, making it difficult for an opponent to kick or sweep the front leg. Practicing this stance and switching legs is fantastic for strengthening and balancing the muscles around the lower spine, often helping to rebalance the hips in a single session or a few days of practice. Xingyiquan’s many health benefits truly make it a treasure of healing.