One more thing I don't need: is this sciataca?

Oy vey. This started two nights ago while I was sleeping on my left side. Pain from the back of my butt, a bit left of center, running down the entire left leg to the ankle, along the left side of the back of my leg, almost on the side of my leg. A few minutes after I got out of bed it went away and was I fine all day. Then it happened again last night, only worse.

I can sleep on my back as long as I'm careful about the way I move. I'm mostly okay on my right side, again being careful about movements. I can't roll onto my left side without pain. But I can sit up on the side of the bed and then fall onto my left side and lie that way without pain. So certain movements and positions trigger it while others are okay, and I'm still figuring out which is which.

Yesterday afternoon I did some leg stretches without pain. I'll try doing them again in a little while.

I've had problems in the past with my sacroiliac but that was on the right side, where my knee and ankle problems have been (patella tracking problem, not serious, and ankle tendon problem, resolved surgically many years ago). Stretching and attention to posture generally keep the sacroiliac problem in check.

Any thoughts? Thanks very much!

I've been fine since I got out of bed and was able to do my usual leg and piriformis stretches without pain. I'll be seeing my personal trainer tomorrow, so I'll show him where the pain is to confirm that it's the sciatic nerve and not something else. I texted him about it and he's going to show me a few more stretches to add to my routine. He's an experienced PT with a degree in exercise physiology, so he's got a good knowledge of anatomy. He's helped me address problems without needing to see a doctor in the past, and I know he won't hesitate to tell me if he doesn't have the knowledge to help.

So fingers crossed that I can nip this in the bud!

Thanks.

Ugh. Hope you get it sorted.

I'll just add that I've been learning in the past few months that the psoas muscles are absolutely key to the whole lumbar spine and the lumbopelvic complex. Getting trigger points and adhesions in the psoas released is not in the slightest bit fun or comfortable, and stretching them is awkward, but it's made an ENORMOUS difference in my progress. Cycling does tend to shorten them, especially if you're not doing much of anything else at full hip extension.