[Closed] Sciatica driving me mad! Can anyone help!?

That sounds miserable ahsat especially with a planned tour coming up. 🙁

Does your chiro have x-ray facilities? Perhaps regular massage may help once this is sorted?

Personally (having spent a lot of money on them) I would say forget the Chiropractor
- they try to fix skeletal alignment and seem to like you coming [i]back for a checkup [/i](i.e. continually spending money)

Find a Physio / Sports Massage, preferably one who treats lots of cyclists, and work with them. They should be able to identify the cause and treat it or advise on the proper course of action.
In my experience Physio's aim to treat you and not see you again. Sports Massage can then be used to help stop any niggles turning into sciatica.

I'd be adding a (minimum) twice weekly stretching session, focusing on hip flexors and lower back. Anecdata, not 100% reliable by any means, but since I've been stretching regularly (for a different injury) I've not had any back trouble, before I started stretching lower back pain was a recurrent problem.

(I realise that sciatica is not a synonym of "lower back pain", but they're often related).

I had something similar. Couldn't walk, going upstairs required crawling, lots of painkillers.

Spent money at an osteopath which I could have just flushed down the loo for the same effect.

Went to NHS physio (referred by GP) and was seen fairly quickly because of how bad it was and got some pretty good exercises for it.

I also read that book, "how to treat your back", which was _very_ effective.

And I also did what DaRC_L above said, and went to a very good sports massage person, who knocked it on the head and gave me some good advice.

And I've made sure the position on all my bikes is a bit more upright, not massively, but it helps. Of course it means I won't win any sportives now(*).

Not had a problem since.

(*) Yes, I know what a sportive is. It's a joke, ok?

Physio first, identify the course, get some treatment for short term and exercises and stretches for long term.

Good luck

Have you had an MRI on your spine? I had sciatica about 4 years ago - super bad to the point where on a couple of occasions I just had to fall over like a log to stop it hurting if I moved wrong. Combination of physio exercises, posture correction(eg sitting correcty when using a pc at work) MRI for diagnosis and an epidural injection (steroid/anti-inflammatory). The epidural took the swelling down between the sciatic nerve and bulging disc, allowing it to heal whilst the other stuff stopped it getting worse again.
Had a couple of minor flareups (if I keep on with yoga and exercise I'm fine, so only due to laziness!) but never anything as bad as when I had the sciatica full force. Pain level was way worse than other injuries like a broken ankle and ruptured knee ligaments 🙁 Hope you get it sorted soon!

Thanks all for the advice. There is an olympic level physio in the area who I saw a while back who totally got me back on track after a major knee injury, resulting in absolutely no more pain! Defiantly worth giving her a call I think.

Have to say, I didnt think about this route. I did initially try an NHS one about 18 months ago, but that was a waste of time! Think the person was more worried about getting home in the snow!

The chiropractor has certainly helped, but think I am clearly stuck in a rut with it, and also slightly worried what will happen if I dont keep going back.

Thank you for everyone's support.

(*) Yes, I know what a sportive is. It's a joke, ok?

Have you had an MRI on your spine?

Good Physio, have same issue

also slightly worried what will happen if I don't keep going back.

Mrs Nobby did the same several years ago As well as the work you've had done the body also becomes accustomed to a degree of pain and this gets worse over time. She ended up at the point it went suddenly again, leaving her in agony. Thanks to (me) demanding an immediate referral letter from our GP & the expediency of having medical insurance, she was assessed and x-rayed 2 days later, a further 2 days saw an MRI scan & 4 days later she was in surgery for a laminectomy. It transpired that the 'bulge' in her disc had actually burst and was now squeezing her spinal cord 😯

I know that this is at the opposite end of the scale but if she hadn't been looked at properly the consequences don't bear thinking about. Learnt to be very wary of sciatica if the leg pain gets as far as the knee - if it goes below there the consultant's advice was "phone an ambulance".

Personally, I'd get it properly checked out.

I personally never would use a chiro

look for an osteopath or sports physio who will look at the alignment of your body as well as the root cause. Once your knee or hips go out of alignment your back will suffer and vice versa....simplistic explaination

MRI will help to see what is going inside and any impingements

Try acupuncture, it allows me to have treatment and reduces the pain massively

if you want to look at the 200 miles at the weekend, stop and consider is it realistic if you cannot do 2 miles and what is the long term damage...ignore the MTFU or letting people down....it is your back and it is the only one you get ( though technology may change that in the future?)

long term it is about exercise around mobility, flexabilty, core strength, hip flexor strength and mobility, wider weight training light and gentle to start none of this 100kg snatchs and get advice alternative sports to cycling that complement but change you body movement, so rowing/swimming/walking and so on.

Yours in empathy

I suffered a flare up of sciatica many years ago when working abroad (brought on by kickstarting trail bikes!). Pain radiating down to my foot and the worst thing I've ever had to deal with. I only had access to basic medical facilities, but my Dr recommended that once on top of the pain that I went swimming regularly, specifically breaststroke. This did the job for me and has become a part of my fitness regime ever since. Not suggesting for one moment that there's a fix for you here and there are many wiser words in other replies - but perhaps one to consider in the future. Hope it eases for you soon, it is a miserable affliction.

You need to get to the bottom of whats causing it. I'm no doctor but I would suspect that your "self healed" prolopsed disk has not actually healed itself.

Push for an MRI to actually find the cause of the problem and then you can start to deal with it. Sciatic pain is generally caused by compression of the Sciatic nerve. Find out whats compressing it.

I feel your pain though. When I was 21 I popped 2 disks in my lower back on a badly fitting bike. 8 weeks of agony leading to Cauda equina syndrom and a very rushed discectomy. I have never experienced pain like it. Horrendous.

Hope you get sorted out.

would be worth getting an MRI scan done if you can.
and also find a good physio
i suffered a compressed L4 and L5 vertebrae about 15 years ago after i got a landing wrong on the bike.
spent months in agony while i waited for a referral. had the MRI scan doen eventually which showed the damage after an x-ray failed to spot the injury
i spent the next 12 months having weekly physio treatment.
half of that time was spent on a traction machine where my spine was gradually stretched to relieve pressure off the vertebrae and the nerves that were trapped there. these nerves included the sciatic nerves.
it might be worth looking into this for ourself as the traction treatment worked wonders for me in the end and i was able to start doing normal things again. my physio also encouraged me to get back on the bike too as sitting on the bike actually stretches the spine and also helps relieve the pressure.
the pain has never gone away though...no back injury ever fully heals..its a case of now managing the condition.
i was given stretching exercises which i used to do on a daily basis, but now only do when my back and legs are really stiff and sore

I'm just recovering from a couple of ruptured discs leading to sciatica and lots of pain. Started mid Jan.

I tried time first (self healing)
Then diagnosis and a referral for an MRI
Then cortisone epidurals
Then a percutaneous discectomy in the lower ruptured disc

That was four weeks ago. Initially after the op it was worse, much worse then about 10 days later it started to free up to how it was before the op. It's now at the point I occasionally take Brufen or Paracetamol topically but only if I've been giving it some stick. I was on max Gabapentin, Tramadol, Brufen and Paracetamol for 3 months. Coming off Tramadol was as unpleasant as going on it though I had no choice. At one stage, I couldn't walk 20 metres or sit in a straight back chair for more than a few minutes.

Go and see your GP, get it diagnosed properly and get an MRI. I wouldn't piss around with cortisone again, I'd go straight to one of the flavours of discectomy if there's a rupture and get the recovery clock ticking.

Go and see a Pro not a snake oil seller.

Go to the GP and get a referral to a spinal surgeon, MRI, etc. don't leave it any longer than today.

I've lived with sciatica for 9 years. It finally got to the point it I was no longer able to live with it. That coincided with a big spasm last March. Referred and saw various specialists, MRI, X-ray, caudal epidural last April, physio, facet joint injections in June, physio who then ruptured L4/5, 😯 , another MRI, more facet joint injections in November, NEW physio in January, spinal fusion at the end of March this year. Physio starts tomorrow.

What started out as mild sciatica ended with 3 herniated disc and one rupturing because of the muscle spasms and the rest of my back compensating for the nerve pain. You have done the right thing with core strength, posture, you also need to work on flexibility, yoga or Pilates, but get a referral and MRI and the advice of a good physio first. Chiropractors are witch doctors selling snake oil.

+1 for finding a good Pilates teacher and attending regular classes. (In my experience and generalising, generic gym/fitness class teachers that also teach pilates are not as good as Pilates teachers that have that as their main job).

I look at it as an hour long physio session.

I started getting sciatica at university in 2000, I've had good times and bad times with my back, the good ones are usually accompanied by pilates or regular excercise and flexibility.

I've steered clear of chiro's and ostepaths for the reasons stated above and have used Physios when needed, like when I've had a bad flare up last year - (which triggered my return to pilates).

Best of luck and hope you heal up soon!

google prolotherapy , i went to the wharfdale clinic in leeds to have it done, after herniated disc, which had healed according to mri/xray but nerve damage - something to do with the sleeve the nerve passes through can get damaged - was fine for donkeys years after that.
good luck.

Thanks all for the kind comments. I have started to get tingling in my calf (before it was all above the knee). I have cancelled the chiro and asked an on call doctor to come and see me, otherwise I am taking myself to the hospital. I am currently the fittest and strongest I have ever been and I am not risking another major injury if I can catch it beforehand. The weekends tour if defiantly off and I will contact my physio once I see what the doctor says.

Without wanting to piss on your chips you're maybe a bit late for avoidance. You need to concentrate on what's going on and putting it right.

If offered, I would avoid cortisone like the plague. It's not really a fix and at best ~50% effective. And it fknicg hurts.

Best of British.

I've had a sciatica flare-up over the last couple of months. Had a prolapsed disc a few yrs back and suspect it's bulged some more.

It's *slowly* getting better now I've upped the core exercises.

Go see your GP to get some medication to sort out the pain, then go see a physio (they may also advice referral to a neuro consultant). With regards physio you don't need anything other than a musculoskeletal physio as LBP is their bread and butter. Be prepared to put in a lot of work.

check that it is not actually piriformis syndrome...

for pain relief try something like these heat pads :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ThermaCare-Lower-Back-Heat-Wrap/dp/B002EIQOOW/ref=pd_sim_sbs_d_8?ie=UTF8&refRID=0H7ERBTQSV7YD6RW218J

I had piriformis syndrome and these pads allowed me to have a days walking in the lake district followed by 5 hours standing up on the train back to london (bloody students...).

there is also something that looks like it would be cheaper int he long run :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Qfiber-Body-Heat-Wrap-Infrared/dp/B002J9P31G/ref=pd_cp_d_1

Sometimes this site is a gift that just keeps on giving.

I've been bothered with my lower back again of late and Monday afternoon I got a sharp apin in the lower back and by night my left leg was 'cramping' out. Couldn't find a comfortable position in my bed ended up in the middle of the night in search of painkillers. Bizarrely siting on a hard wooden kitchen chair eased it off and I got to sleep (not in the kitchen chair mind).

Next morning leg feels 'half' numb, sort of pins and needles, feels cold, can't raise it and putting weight on I think I'm about to cowp. Quick google and sciatica pops up... great.

Gradual improvement since and as I'm on a flexi tomorrow I'm off to the GP. Not holding out much hope that will help any. Might get different prescription though.

I was wondering what I needed to do and physio is the received wisdom (thanks for that). Maybe I should've gone three weeks ago when my back flared up. Might have headed it off at the pass?

Hope things improve ahsat!

Might have headed it off at the pass?

You might have headed it off at the pass, but most people with low back pain seem to be doing laps rather than a linear route.

The problem with strengthening your core is the muscles will also shorten making your problem worse, stretch, stretch and more stretching, every few hours if possible.
Sitting on a bike is like sitting at a desk, crap for your posture.
Yoga is your friend.
I am not an expert, but i do spend a lot of time in the gym and worked muscles have got to be stretched or pain and sorrow will ensue.

Core strength helps with providing structural support to your spine. If your spine is not held up correctly it will collapse under the weight of your skull, your core muscles, not your abs the ones deep inside, are the scaffolding that's doing the job of holding up natures poorly designed head and brain.

Cycling will help, but only after the inflammation has reduced around the trapped or pinched sciatic nerve. It helps to free the nerve to allow it to slide over the vertebrae, what nature intended. A bulging disc, tense muscles, will "trap" the nerve, which in turn causes pain normally down one leg, which in turn causes spasms. And the whole cycle starts again. You need anti inflammatories, pain killers, and muscle relaxants, to start with, then a MRI to find out what's going on.

I am not an expert, but i do spend a lot of time in the gym and worked muscles have got to be stretched or pain and sorrow will ensue.

Nah - if you work them in a tiny part of their range then I'd maybe agree, but only an idiot would do that now wouldn't they...

Stretches, a good physio (where are you?), really look at you IT band and if meds - Amatryptaline.

My last bad bought I resorted to a dual channel Tens machine at full volume for 45 minutes.......killed the pain completely however I ended up with a numb foot that I dragged about a bit for around three weeks.
Trouble is I know my spine is well fubarred and it's a section covering the bottom of my shoulder blades.....I can feel it all slip when it goes too. One of the triggers is lifting even light weights on my left hand side ie bikes over styles/gates etc......too many rugby scrums being the initial cause.
Hope you get yours sorted easily.

Ditto above comments- money better spent on a physio, or see on the NHS for free! (at point of delivery, obvs 😉 )

Right, doctor has given me painkillers and referred me on to a hospital limb physio clinic. Have to wait a month for an apt so have left a message at the private physio as psychologically I can't wait a month! Feeling rather low and the only way that is going to be resolved is to do something proactive. Had really hoped this would be my first injury free year for a long time. Gutted to have ruined our last free weekend together for months (work gets in the way!)

I am not good at making fuss but will have to try to push the hospital for a MRI.

Once you've seen the physio and they've given you a rehabilitation plan buy a book called Back RX by Vijay Vad M.D.
Sounds very similar to my situation.
Thank me later. 😆

Just adding to the Physio and Pilates voices here. I suffered a ruptured disc about 3 years ago now and dodged the surgeons knife as I was waiting for the Op. and recovered enough not to warrant the surgery. I'd been putting up with lower back pain for years and just neglected it. I'd ignored the warning signs, excruciating sciatica, pins and needles in my left leg, for weeks and should have done more far, far earlier.

I do pilates with a guy that was seeing a chiropractor for months before his disc also ruptured. When he described what the chiropractor was doing to him the Pilates teacher went bonkers.

My surgeon's parting words were, "change your life, your posture and everything you do that contributes to this. Your back will never be 100% again and you have to learn to manage it".

I had really bad sciatica last year after an off on the bike, this caused a disc bulge in my lower back. Standing was fine but sat down for any length of time was painful. I ended up going to a physio (did about 6 sessions) and I also did pilates.
The pilates was brilliant and really helped, i bought a dvd entitled "pilates for lower back pain" hosted by an Aussie chap. The same dvd is free on you tube.
Hope its sorted, I really wouldn't want that pain again.

Had this last year and the year before that. Really sympathise. Most extreme pain I've had. It won't not happen again but you can manage it.
Definitely don't overdo the stretching and absolutely see a physio as soon as poss.

He showed me a simple exercise. Stand up preferably against a wall and kind of pelvic thrust gently with your hands on your hips. Don;t do it in the office. You get weird looks.

Muscle relaxant also good for the pain relief at the begining,

Mrs North was diagnosed with [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphysis_pubis_dysfunction ]SPD[/url] when she was pregnant. Could barely walk.

This continued after our child was born, so she went to an Osteopath. Pain instantly far worse. Gradually it has improved with periods of flare ups and lots of periods of pain in pelvis and legs - notional diagnosis of sciatica.

But, then she jhad an MRI scan.

Guess what? It isn't sciatica, and it probably wasn't SPD. She has a diagnosis of [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacroiliitis ]sacroiliitis[/url] caused by [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankylosing_spondylitis ]ankylosing spondylitis[/url]. She's relatively young for this diagnosis.

Given the nature of AS, she's been heavily warned off ever going to an osteopath, chiropractor or similar [s]snake oil merchant[/s] provider of alternative treatments.

Go and get an MRI done. Then decide on the right course of treatment.

Go and get an MRI done. Then decide on the right course of treatment.

I have been having a text chat with legolamb, who is a doctor and other half trained in surgery and they have both also suggested I get a MRI. I am going to call the doctors back tomorrow and see if they will get this referred as well as the physio.

Many thanks

Where are you? I can recommend two excellent physios in London SW1 or Brighton - I've suffered with this for 20+ years.

Afraid between Durham and Newcastle - a bit of a trek to London town. Thank you though. I have had very good experience of a top class physio in regards to my knee a while back so have left a message to see if she can fit me in soon.

Ah I thought I had been just referred to physio, but looking at the sheet again I have been sent to Musculoskeletal Tier 2 clinic. After some googling it suggests these people cover quite a lot of areas and can also request scans or surgical referral (though very keen to avoid the latter!). Maybe he has sent me to right place! Looks like that then Triage's to the correct place!

Not entirely relevant to the topic, but had what I thought was a back pain flareup this winter. The culprit turned out to be my fluffy little dog, who was getting cold in the dog bed, and climbing into our bed in the middle of the night for warmth, shoving my spine/hips out of alignment with 14 kilos of cute dog.

Chiropractors are snake oil salespeople who will lighten your load by emptying your wallet.

ahsat.

I wish I'd had surgery earlier TBH. I'd gritted my teeth and MTFU'd for too long. But the results so far are very positive. The post surgery pain was no worse than pre-op. I'm now pain free in my back with only mild numbness in my hamstring and pins and needles in my toes. All to be expected following how bad it was prior.

Amiltiptyline is working on the residual sciatica, the only side effect so far is some weight gain. And I'm big enough already. Physio starting tomorrow and hopefully the green light for upping the exercising which will help with the weight.

Amiltiptyline

That's what I was given ! Certainly worked and let me get some sleep.

bigblackshed - really hope you get sorted asap. Thank you for the thoughts. I guess my nervousness is I saw my Mum go through surgery for something similar when I was 18 and it was pretty awful! I am prepared to accept professional advice though. Need to get to the bottom of it.

If you're getting tingling in your legs then, as mentioned above, google piriformis.

But watch out for the exercises on youtube, as they're a bit full-on. Take it gently.

The book I mentioned earlier is "Treat Your Own Back" by McKenzie.

Piriformis is interesting as I pulled a muscle in my bottom in an akward dismount at the weekend!

Thank you all so much for all your help and support. STW can be great. Feel better knowing I have made some positive steps, if a long way to go. Physio apt booked for next week. She strongly asked me to avoid sitting so standing typing this with my copy of treat your own back off the book shelf.

Thank you all

If you dont get an mri we could try sticking you in the core scanner at work when it arrives! And if that fails we could lop the leg off with the core splitter... Anyway, the 3 of us hope you are back on the bike soon so we can do the sandstone way. Get well soon!

From S, E & C

Lol - thanks Scotland! 🙂 I'll bear that option in mind.... 😛

Just remember to turn the gamma ray off when you put me through the core scanner!

My pet surgeon says that a Tier 2 MSK appointment is a good place to start as they're essentially a diagnostic service with access to bone/nerve/physio specialists as necessary. We both agree that, if you have nerve symptoms, an MRI will help to clarify exactly what's going on in there.

Thank you to my two resident personal health professionals. Much appreciated.

Just back from the physio, all good, green light given to get back swimming, Hydrotherapy starting next week.

The best news is "there should be no reason why you won't be back on the bike within 6 weeks". 🙂

I had surgery on 20th March, deflation, discectomy, stabilisation with instrumentation, and flexible fusion, on L3/4, L4/5 L5/S1. Before I could hardly walk. I've just walked to and from physio. 8 miles all in. Don't discount surgery if you need it.

Excellent news bigblackshed. Here is to a very rapid recovery and that first taste of singletrack in 6 weeks. Keeping all my fingers crossed for you.

first taste of singletrack in 6 weeks.

Make that 18 months. Last offroad was 30th January 2014 @ BPW.

first taste of singletrack in 6 weeks.
Make that 18 months. Last offroad was 30th January 2014 @ BPW.

Ended up with a physio apt last night (due to a cancellation). Was there over an hour. The short summary, was 'sort your life out, or you won't be able to walk by the time you are 35'. I almost certainly do have a prolapse at the base of my spin, the swelling of which is thankfully starting to reduce. It is likely caused by AWFUL posture, hours on end sat at my desk, compacted by cycling and kettlebells - all forcing my back the wrong way! So I am now heavily tapped up to force me to sit up straight and have an occ health referral with the aim of getting sitting/standing desks at work and we will look into getting me one at home. Next week I am going to work on some back training exercises with her. I am also going to get back to swimming and mixing my training up a bit more. She said there is no reason i cant get back to biking, but only if I change the rest of my life!

So here is goes - the first day of the rest of my life!

Right, must go and stand up now!

I'm currently loading up on Ibroprufen and Co-codamol ahead of seeing my Osteo this afternoon who will attempt to get me upright. L4-L5 prolapse according to my last MRI, it been manageable since february but laying a floor, moving a sofa and then fallong over whilst playing frisbee have all contributed to a flair up over the weekend.

I've got an 8 hour economy flight to look forward to on Saturday with 2 four year olds to keep company, so immediate and effective pain relief is necessary!

20 minutes of stretching, twice a day and swimming have all been added to my daily routine in the last couple months.

I've just got to accept that i'm going to have to manage the pain and my expectations in future. I hate getting old.

Have you considered a medical professional rather than an Osteopath?

Have a look at the [url= http://www.bambach.co.uk/ ]Bambach Saddle Seat[/url]. It's done wonders for my sons and my postier. Makes you sit up, you can't slouch, you just fall off.

Have you considered a medical professional rather than an Osteopath?

I did see a medical professional, the one that i was referred to by the other medical professional that i saw. This medical professional got me standing up straight for the first time in 3 days. Spent a good 20 minutes massaging my lower back and legs, gave some acupuncture and then showed me a selection of stretches to do to improve my mobility and reduce my pain ahead of my flight, all treatment was based on my symptoms, MRI results and his observations. A pretty comprehensive hour of unrushed treatment.

Oh, one thing that my GP mentioned when I was in agony was that if you suddenly can't feel/lose sensation in your testicles and/or penis then you should call 999 immediately and let them know. Apparently the loss of feeling is due to the pressure on the nerve and if it isn't relieved very quickly you risk permanent damage.

Wishing you a good recovery.

Well I had disc issues in my neck years ago the physio never fixed, then they said I should try accupuncture....nonsense, mumbo jumbo I thought. Anyway was ready to try anything so found a gp who also did accupuncture and was amazed at the results after a few sessions. Was converted. So when my lower back went years later off I popped to the same fella and was amazed to get same great results. That was years ago and I have only been back the odd time since when it flares up again. So cannot sing the praises of accupuncture enough.

if you suddenly can't feel/lose sensation in your testicles and/or penis then you should call 999 immediately

i just say the "safe" word and it comes back almost immediatley

oh i see were still talking sciatica

if you suddenly can't feel/lose sensation in your testicles and/or penis then you should call 999 immediately

Cauda equina syndrome. Happened to me, other symptoms are inability to urinate with any pressure, just dribbles out. Its a classed as a medical emergency and almost always needs urgent surgery.

[url= http://www.webmd.boots.com/back-pain/guide/cauda-equina-syndrome-overview ]Worth a read if you ever suffer from back pain so you know the signs.[/url]

Well this standing up lark is working and it seems Singletrack as ever is the answer - big pile of them under the screen (in the box). Its not the ideal set up (ironing board a bit low) and I am going to bite the bullet and buy a proper standing desk (gulp - that is the holiday savings ruined a bit) as I cant easily change this to sitting when I need. Yesterday was the first day though I managed reasonably pain free!

[img] [/img]
[url= https://twitter.com/DrTashaBarlow/status/603842325484273664 ]DrTashaBarlow on Twitter[/url]

if you suddenly can't feel/lose sensation in your testicles and/or penis then you should call 999 immediately

Have a look at the Bambach Saddle Seat.

Sounds like you are taking action and hope everything gets resolved. Professional advice is key and some scans will make a big difference to understanding if anything major is wrong

I had some painful back problems for about 12 months and after seeing a BUPA physio for 6 months of regular sessions, I went and saw a private but highly recommended Physio who after one session gave me the tools to resolve what had been major problem and was seriously getting me down. Standing from sitting, bending down and back up, along with getting out of bed became big problems and constant pain during my day.

Turned out my Psoas muscle was tight from sitting at a desk, driving and riding. As it tightened it became really painful and put pressure on my back pulling everything out of alignment. This physio worked my psoas and, while it was the most excruciating pain resulting in me swearing my head off at him like I was possessed, I spent the next week pain free. Now I do what he did myself whenever I get pain and I've not had any major issues for about 4 months now.

I'm also using a foam roller loads - 3-4 times a week - I'd highly recommend them for IT band and Glute muscles especially. Also the pigeon yoga pose is great for opening up the piriformis muscle which can become tight and lead to sciatic nerve issues.