That Pain Running Down Your Leg Could Be From Your Hip, Not Your Spine

Pain travelling down your leg? It may just be a tight hip muscle instead of a slipped disc. Have you ever felt shooting pains down your leg with small movements? Or pins and needles that limit standing or sitting? Online searches often suggest sciatic pain from a slipped or herniated disc. While these can cause sciatic pain, muscle tightness can mimic the symptoms. The piriformis muscle in the hip can compress the sciatic nerve when it is tight. This is called Piriformis Syndrome.

How can tight hip muscles cause these symptoms?

Shooting pain down the leg often results from irritation of the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body. It begins at the lumbar spine and travels down the leg, running alongside or through muscles. One such muscle is the piriformis, a deep hip rotator. When tight, the piriformis can compress or irritate the sciatic nerve, increasing sensitivity and causing sciatic pain.

A major cause of piriformis tightness is prolonged stationary positions, such as slouching at work or crossing your legs. Muscle overuse from sports or repetitive activities can also cause piriformis tightness. Weak core or gluteal muscles can also cause the piriformis to compensate and become tighter.

How can I tell between piriformis syndrome and a slipped disc?

The key difference between the two conditions lies in their initiation. Pain from piriformis syndrome generally comes on gradually, whereas pain from a slipped disc begins suddenly. Another difference is their main aggravating actions. Actions such as coughing and sneezing may aggravate a slipped disc. On the other hand, prolonged stationary positions are more likely to aggravate the piriformis syndrome.

It is always a good idea to visit one of our physiotherapists to help diagnose the true cause of your leg pain. The good news is that not all pain that travels down the leg is disc-related. Muscle tightness can cause similar symptoms and usually resolves faster with less intervention when diagnosed early. By determining the true cause of the pain, you can start a tailored rehabilitation programme to recover quickly.