The Surprising Cause of Your Leg Pain: Your Back!

Let’s go ahead and lay all of our collective cards out on the table. Most of us spend way, way more time sitting at our computers or sitting down with our digital devices than we know we should. Honestly, most of us are living with aches or pains as a result that we don’t really want anyone to know about.

Our necks hurt. Our backs hurt. And our… legs… hurt? Yep. If you spend your days working at a desk, we’re willing to bet you know exactly what we’re talking about. So, why does this happen and what can be done to help take care of all of the above? 

Bottom Line:

It may seem odd to think that nagging leg, calf, or foot pain could be traced back to a low back problem… But if you've had pain in your leg or foot, a pinched nerve in your low back may be creating your issue! As the go-to back pain specialist in Elmhurst, this is something we see nearly every day in practice.

Pain that travels along a spinal nerve is called radicular pain, and it's one of the most common types of pain that occurs as a result of spinal nerve compression. Nerve compression is often what causes back and leg pain to appear at the same time. If a nerve in your low back is compressed or "pinched", your body is sure to let you know.

Why it Matters:

Pain is your body's way of saying "pay attention inside now!" It's your body's way of letting you know you’ve pushed past its limits. When a nerve is compressed or irritated — be it from a herniated spinal disc, bone spur, or ligament overgrowth — it can become inflamed and painful.

What Causes Back and Leg Pain

Your spinal nerves can be pinched or compressed by a bone, disc, or ligament.
 
Let’s take a closer look at each scenario…

• Bone Spurs: Bone spurs can form as a result of joint damage associated with osteoarthritis, and these can sometimes grow large enough to pinch your spinal nerves.
   Disc Herniations: Disc herniations, bulges, or tears can invade the space of your nerves and that inflammation and pressure can cause narrowing of the canals..
• Ligament Hypertrophy: Ligament hypertrophy (or overgrowth) can happen with age and injuries and lead to added pressure on your nerves.
• Whichever of the above may be causing your pain, it's important to know that all have a great chance of recovering without the need for drugs or surgery. Top research publications have shown that people struggling with sciatica pain can get fantastic results with chiropractic care. The numbers don’t lie. Since we’re talking about what causes back and leg pain, let’s use sciatica pain as an example.

In one widely circulated study, researchers observed that 89% of patients suffering from symptomatic sciatica responded very well to chiropractic adjustments. In another recent study, researchers found that 60% of participants with symptomatic cases of sciatica benefitted from chiropractic adjustments to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention (again, without any of the risks!). What many may not know is that beyond adjustments, exercise and rehab can also help strengthen the muscles supporting your spine to reduce the likelihood of a relapse.

Next Steps:

Starting with chiropractic care is the smartest decision you can make. In our practice in Elmhurst we utilize various treatments, including adjustments, to correct spinal conditions such as herniated disc to help relieve your leg and back pain and help prevent it from recurring.

That’s a long way of saying our mission is to help people treat their compressed nerves and regain their quality of life. Taking non-invasive steps to reduce inflammation, re-establishing proper joint motion, and taking proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of the pain coming back are all part of our care plans. So, if you want to find out what’s causing your leg and low back pain, give us a call today!

Science Source:

Radiculopathy. Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2023.