Back & Neck Pain Causes & Risk Factors Are You at Risk for Sciatica Pain? By Anne Asher, CPT facebook linkedin Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert. Learn about our editorial process Anne Asher, CPT Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD, MPH on October 04, 2020 linkedin Anita Chandrasekaran, MD, MPH, is board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology and currently works as a rheumatologist at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group in Connecticut. Learn about our Medical Review Board Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD, MPH Updated on December 17, 2020 Print The risk of sciatica increases with age. Sciatica causes pain, tingling/numbness, weakness, and loss of reflexes in the lower back, buttocks, legs, and feet. Sometimes sciatica is caused by degenerative conditions, like arthritis—and lifestyle factors are at play, as well. Radiculopathy is a condition in which a nerve root in the spinal column is compressed. Sciatica is a type of lumbar (lower spine) radiculopathy in which the sciatic nerve is compressed. design36 Age as Sciatica Risk Factor One of the main risk factors for sciatica is getting older. With age, many issues can contribute to spine degeneration. Age-related changes can bring on sciatica due to changes in your intervertebral discs, bone spurs, and spinal stenosis. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc usually starts around the age of 30. Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine) usually first crops up in people older than 50.Arthritic changes in the spine, such as bone spurs, can develop after years of arthritis.Additionally, the discs themselves have begun their descent to vulnerability -- the older you get, the more resilience you've likely lost in your spinal discs. Because of work, social, and sports activities, people between the ages of 30 and 50 have a higher likelihood of spine injury or other types of spine damage, which can lead to sciatica. A Sedentary Lifestyle While injuries from activities can damage your spine, sitting as a regular habit ups your sciatica risk too. You might find yourself sitting for prolonged periods of time while working at a computer, driving a lot, behaving like a couch potato, and the like. A big reason that sitting can lead to sciatica is that sitting compresses your spine and discs, which—depending on your spine condition—may irritate a spinal nerve root. Another reason is that sitting may put pressure on the sciatic nerve directly, as in the case of piriformis syndrome. Manual Labor and Your Sciatica Risk Frequently lifting heavy loads and/or repeatedly twisting the spine is associated with disc herniation, which often results in lumbar radiculopathy. Another work-related risk factor is vibration, such as operating a jackhammer. Walkers and Runners The two sports that are most likely to increase the risk for sciatica symptoms are walking and running. This is likely due to the repeated contraction of the piriformis muscle. During extended periods of walking and running, the piriformis muscle tightens to help you propel yourself forward. When the piriformis muscle becomes tight, it can cause irritation to the sciatic nerve, which runs under it. A 2002 Finnish study published in Spine Journal showed that walking is associated with the onset of sciatica symptoms, while jogging is associated with a continuation of symptoms. The study looked at 327 workers with sciatica, and 2,077 workers without sciatica. Other Groups: Pregnant Women, Diabetics Obesity can increase the risk of sciatic due to physical pressure on the nerve. People with diabetes are prone to nerve damage, including damage to the sciatic nerve. And due to hormonal changes and changes in the position of the baby, the risk of sciatica is greatly increased during pregnancy as well. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Beynon R, Elwenspoek MMC, Sheppard A, et al. The utility of diagnostic selective nerve root blocks in the management of patients with lumbar radiculopathy: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2019;9(4):e025790. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025790 Shiri R, Euro U, Heliövaara M, et al. Lifestyle Risk Factors Increase the Risk of Hospitalization for Sciatica: Findings of Four Prospective Cohort Studies. Am J Med. 2017;130(12):1408-1414.e6. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.06.027 Miranda H, Viikari-Juntura E, Martikainen R, Takala EP, Riihimäki H. Individual factors, occupational loading, and physical exercise as predictors of sciatic pain. Spine. 2002;27(10):1102-1109. doi:10.1097/00007632-200205150-00017 Adams MA, Dolan P. Intervertebral disc degeneration: evidence for two distinct phenotypes. J Anat. 2012;221(6):497-506. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7580.2012.01551.x John Hopkins Medicine. Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. Hangai M, Kaneoka K, Kuno S, et al. Factors associated with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in the elderly. Spine J. 2008;8(5):732-740. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2007.07.392 Atlas SJ. Taming the pain of sciatica: For most people, time heals and less is more. Harvard Health Publishing. 2017. Euro U, Heliövaara M, Shiri R, et al. Work-related risk factors for sciatica leading to hospitalization. Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):6562. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-42597-w Stafford MA, Peng P, Hill DA. Sciatica: a review of history, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and the role of epidural steroid injection in management. Br J Anaesth. 2007;99(4):461-473. doi:10.1093/bja/aem238 Additional Reading Bernard, B., M.D., M.P.H. Low Back Musculoskeletal Disorders: Evidence for Work Relatedness. Musculoskeletal Disorders and Workplace Factors - NIOSH Publication 97-141. July 2007. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97-141/pdfs/97-141f.pdf Kendall, F., McCreary, E., & Provance, P. Muscles: Testing and Function with Posture and Pain. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. 1993. Kinser, C., & Colby, L. (2002). Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques.Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company. Miranda, H., Viikari-Juntura, E., Martikainen, R., Takala, E.P., Riihimaki, H., Individual factors, occupational loading, and physical exercise as predictors of sciatica pain. Spine. May 2002. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12004179 NINDS. Piriformis Syndrome Information Page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Web Last Updated: 2007. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/piriformis_syndrome/piriformis_syndrome.htm