The term sciatica is not a medical diagnoses per se but the term for a collection of symptoms due to compression of the sciatic nerve or its nerve roots.  The symptoms can include pain in the lower back that radiates (spreads) into the buttock, the back of the thigh and calf and sometimes the foot.  In addition to pain unusual sensations of tingling and numbness may be felt in the same areas.  The spinal cord runs within the spine from the...

The most common cause of aches and pains in the back is excessive muscular tension.  In almost all cases the underlying cause for the accumulation of muscular tension is poor posture and inefficient body use leading to a repetitive overtrain.  Individuals who have to maintain a fixed posture for sustained periods at work are therefore particularly susceptible to developing excessive muscular tension.  The development of postural tension is...

The intervertebral discs are found between the vertebral bones of the spine.  The disc consists of two distinct components.  On the outer portion of the disc are a series of tough fibrous rings (the annulus fibrosus) that fully enclosed the jelly like core (nucleus pulposus).  The structure is analogous to a donut, the annulus pulposus being the dough and the nucleus pulposus analogous to the jelly filling.  The function of the disc is to...

The infrapatellar fat pad (Hoffa’s pad) is located beneath the patella (kneecap) and on top of the femoral condyle (far end of thigh bone) .  It functions as a shock absorber to withstand direct impacts to the patella.  The fat pad can become impinged between the patella and femoral condyle due to repetitive direct impact to the kneecap.   The fat pad has many nerve endings and therefore impingement causes significant pain.  The fat...