Sciatica skiing

Injuring Your Sciatica Nerve While Skiing

For those of us who ski, accidents and injuries are just a part of the process.  You get up, dust yourself off, and hit the slope again.  That is, unless you are injured pretty badly. 

But, there are times that you can have an accident and be injured and not realize just how badly you are hurt.  Some of the worst of these injuries are to the sciatic nerves.  You only find out later, when your back gives out, or the pain is radiating through your lower back and down your legs.  The pain can be so bad that you can barely stand up, much less finish out your ski trip.  Sciatica skiing injuries can be very severe and if left untreated, can cause major damage not only to your sciatic nerve, but to other areas of your body as well.

First, if you do have a sciatica skiing injury, contact your doctor immediately.  The signs that you should look for if you think that you have injured your sciatic nerve are: dull or sharp pain that radiates through your lower back, into your buttocks, and down your legs, numbness or that “needles” feeling in your legs or feet, or (in severe cases) loss of bowel control.  If you experience this last symptom, go to your local emergency room immediately.  Your doctor will have you come in and most likely will take some x-rays in his examination.  These can show him or her exactly where the nerve is pinched and what treatment is needed to either correct or ease the problem.  These treatments can range anywhere from: medications (pain relievers, muscle relaxers, or anti-inflammatories), heat and cold packs, and even chiropractic or specialist referrals.  Your doctor will make this determination upon looking at your back and pain.

The bottom line is if you do get a sciatica skiing injury; make sure to seek medical treatment.  The longer that you let the injury go, the worse it can get.