TMH Webinar Series

Sciatica - Is it really the sciatic nerve?

The anatomy, the nerve and what pain down the leg might actually mean.

Book before the live broadcast webinars cost just £9.50, including 14 days’ replay access.
After the live broadcast, the replay price is £25.

SCIATICA

Is It Really the Sciatic Nerve?

Pain running through the buttock and down the leg is routinely described as sciatica sometimes by clinicians and very often by clients themselves.

But where does the sciatic nerve actually run? What happens before and after it leaves the pelvis? And does pain travelling down the back — or even the outside — of the leg necessarily mean that the sciatic nerve is responsible?

In this webinar we use real human dissection, anatomy and current evidence to explore the sciatic nerve and reconsider what we really mean when we use the word sciatica.

Sciatica describes a pattern of symptoms more than it identifies a cause. Pain travelling down the leg can involve nerves but location alone doesn't tell us which nerve or why it hurts.

What exactly are we calling sciatica?

Most descriptions of sciatica begin with pain radiating from the lower back or buttock into the leg. This sounds reasonable, but anatomically, it presents a problem.

The sciatic nerve isn't just a single cable running from the spine to the foot. It forms from multiple spinal nerve roots, travels through the pelvic and gluteal area, relates closely to several muscles and connective tissues and ultimately divides into the tibial and common fibular nerves.

Understanding this anatomical pathway is hugely relevent if we're going to use the location of symptoms to work out what is supposedly causing them.

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See the sciatic nerve for yourself

The sciatic nerve is one of the largest and most recognisable nerves in the human body but diagrams can make it look far simpler than it really is.

Using original human dissection footage and images, we'll follow its path through the pelvis, gluteal region and posterior thigh and examine its relationships with the structures around it.

If pain goes down the leg, is it sciatica?

Probably not!

But even when nerves are involved, identifying which part of the nervous system is involved, nerve root, sciatic nerve, one of its branches or something else, is a very different question.

In this webinar we explore

  • What clinicians actually mean by sciatica

  • The anatomy of the sciatic nerve and lumbosacral plexus

  • What human dissection tells us that diagrams don't

  • Disc irritation: compression, inflammation and sensitivity

  • Why the location of pain doesn't automatically identify its source

  • The sciatic nerve through the gluteal region and posterior thigh

  • Hamstrings, gluteal function and other potential contributors

  • What the anatomy might change about assessment and treatment

ABOUT THIS WEBINAR

Understanding sciatica and the sciatic nerve. Piriformis, trapped nerve or something else?

This webinar is for therapists, trainers, and movement professionals and anyone interested in understanding the body beyond obvious and traditional interpretations

In this webinar we'll explore:

  • The difference between named nerves and actual nerves

  • How we can determine whether a nerve really is affected

  • What 'Red Flags' we should all be aware of

  • The evidence for the effectiveness of therapies, stretching and movement

  • Why imaging such as MRIs might not give a full picture

  • Other nerves or tissues that might give similar pains to sciatica

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

Is sciatica always caused by the sciatic nerve?

No. Sciatica is often used loosely to describe pain travelling from the back or buttock into the leg. Similar symptoms may arise from nerve roots, peripheral nerves, referred pain or other sources.

Can you have sciatica without a slipped disc?


Yes. Disc changes are only one potential contributor to radicular symptoms, and structural changes seen on imaging do not automatically explain pain.

Does sciatica always go down the back of the leg?

No. Symptoms vary considerably, and their distribution may depend on the tissues and neural structures involved.

Can tight hamstrings cause sciatica?

Hamstring discomfort and sciatic symptoms can overlap, but describing the hamstrings as simply “tight” does not establish the cause. The webinar examines their anatomical relationship and how loading of the posterior thigh may complicate the picture.

Is piriformis syndrome the same as sciatica?


No. Piriformis or deep gluteal involvement represents one possible source of sciatic nerve irritation outside the spine and should not be assumed simply because buttock pain is present.

Is this webinar only for manual therapists?

No. It is relevant to massage therapists, bodyworkers, Pilates and yoga teachers, personal trainers, movement professionals and health educators. No advanced anatomy knowledge is required.

If cannot attend live, is there a recording?

Yes. Everyone who purchases the webinar receives permanent access to the recording. Touch Move Heal Members receive access as part of their membership and have access to PDFs of all the research papers used in the webinar.

ABOUT JULIAN

JULIAN BAKER BSc (Hons)

Functional Anatomist and Health Science Educator

Julian has been teaching anatomy, dissection and bodywork classes for over thirty years.

Something of a heretic within the anatomical establishment, he challenges the norms of conventional anatomical thinking and creates a new paradigm in how anatomy is taught.

His humorous, gentle and patient approach encourages application over academic knowledge and seeks to dismantle what many of us take for granted.

Julian has decades worth of experience in the therapy field and has a depth of knowledge that is second to none, ensuring that any learning experience with him is unforgettable

READ SOME REVIEWS

Don't just take our word for it...

"To 'see' the soft tissue we as therapists think we influence is a privilege. Julian Baker makes all the right connections between the 'tissue' and considerations for therapeutic intervention. Functional Anatomy is a must for all 'hands on' therapists. It is also a must for the 'hands off' body of therapists! Seeing is believing.."

"Captivating, often bizarre and incredible insights into the human body like you have never seen before. Always life changing sessions, questioning the “norm” as we are taught it and bringing new dimensions to your practise.

If you attend one of Julian's classes your working brain will be changed forever - for the better and you will only want to see more!! His humour is also legendary!!"

"I have just participated in the scar tissue dissection course. This is an incredible lesson in anatomy. Julian takes you on a journey thru a human body like you've never been before. It is amazing to see how a human body is really built, how strong, how resilient. Eye-opening and educating. Thank you.

I will be back for more."

Want to rethink what your hands are actually doing?

We're excited to have you on board!

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