Presentation/signs and symptoms
•
The primary symptoms are pain/paresthesia in the affected leg and/or foot and disability that impairs activities of daily
living (ADLs)
(
2
,
3
)
•
Pain/paresthesia is typically described as dull or sharp, burning or tingling that involves the buttock, posterior thigh, calf, or
foot/toes
(
2
,
3
)
•
There might be tenderness over the involved spinal or pelvic area, paravertebral muscles, or muscles of the buttock(s)
•
Common signs are reduced trunk mobility and flexibility, and range of motion (ROM) in the affected leg
(
2
,
3
)
•
Positions that place tension on the sciatic nerve trunk (e.g., hip flexion in sitting with involved leg straight) or the
straight-leg
raise (SLR) test often reproduce the patient’s sciatica
•
Coughing, sneezing, and other sudden movements in trunk flexion can aggravate symptoms