Sciatic type pain is a common complaint that a Myotherapist hears.

This month we take a look at a habitual driving position that could be causing unwanted pain down the leg.

I have recently seen someone that drives a lot, commuting from Geelong to Melbourne for work, experiencing sciatic type pain. It started off as an infrequent annoyance but has developed into something that will aggravate even while sitting on a chair for a short time.

We came to the conclusion together that driving was the most likely cause. Spending so much time sitting down throughout the day was compressing the sciatic nerve and causing pain.

However, it wasn’t just all the sitting that was causing the problem. We found that the client was positioning their heel on the floor below the brake then externally rotating their leg so their foot could reach the accelerator.

This was causing contracture of the piriformis muscle and leading to the pain they were experiencing. After a few treatments and altering the clients habitual driving posture, we are on the way to relieving their sciatic type pain.

Are you experiencing something similar? How is your leg position when driving?

Consult your local Myotherapist if you think you need help with something similar.