No, it’s not our kids I’m talking about, it’s literally that pain in the butt that so many people are dealing with. Most of us have heard the term Sciatica right? Well, that pain in the butt is likely causing the problem. A number of my patients come into the office with these symptoms and with the soft tissue work I use called Active Release Technique (A.R.T) and adjustments, they feel so much better. A common misconception or misdiagnosis is that the problem is at the nerve root level at the disc or foramen that the nerve is exiting. When in actuality most cases the sciatic nerve is getting trapped from a tight muscle. Most people are born with the sciatic nerve running under (a small percentage have the nerve running through) the piriformis muscle. That’s the pain in the butt you are feeling! When that piriformis muscle gets tight it compresses against the sciatic nerve which then causes the symptom of pain shooting down the back of the leg. Freeing up some of these muscles that can pinch the sciatic nerve, along with making sure the hip and pelvis are in proper alignment are key to keeping that nerve compression at bay. So next time you or someone you know complains about that “pain in the butt” know that there is a cause AND an easy solution!