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If you’re feeling pain in the back of your leg, it’s easy to assume you’ve “pulled a hamstring.” But in many cases, that pain is actually coming from irritation of the sciatic nerve, not the muscle itself.
Understanding the difference between sciatic pain and hamstring tightness is critical for choosing the right treatment — especially if you want lasting relief.
Sciatic pain occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated, compressed, or sensitized — often due to dysfunction in the lower back or pelvis.
Common symptoms include:
Sciatic pain is a nerve issue, not a muscle injury.
True hamstring tightness or strain is a muscular issue and usually presents differently.
Common signs include:
Unlike nerve pain, hamstring tightness doesn’t usually travel below the knee.
Treating nerve pain like a muscle strain can prolong symptoms and delay recovery. Many patients come in after weeks of stretching with no improvement because the real issue wasn’t addressed.
A proper evaluation looks at:
At Highland Spine + Sport, we evaluate the entire movement system to determine whether your pain is nerve-related or muscular.
Care may include:
This approach helps resolve symptoms while preventing recurrence.
You should consider evaluation if your leg pain:
Whether your pain is coming from the sciatic nerve or a muscle issue, the right diagnosis makes all the difference.
At Highland Spine + Sport, we help patients in Roanoke, VA get clarity, relief, and confidence in their movement again.