Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
What Is The Sacroiliac Joint?
The sacroiliac joints (SIJ) are at the back of the pelvis, located roughly where you can feel two bony bumps on the right and left side of the lower spine. The spine connects to the sacral bone of the pelvis which is a triangular shape that is wider at the top and narrows to the coccyx at the lower end. The sacrum is wedged between the two large pelvic bones on either side and the connecting joint is the sacroiliac joint.
The sacroiliac joint is a very stable joint with strong ligament attachments, this is required because when we stand on one leg (e.g. during walking) our whole body weight is transferred through the joint to propel us forward. Despite being very stable, the sacroiliac joint does permit some movement as we move our hip back and forth. It is when there is too much movement (hypermobile) or too little movement (hypomobile) that issues can arise and lead to buttock or hip pain.
What Does Sacroiliac Joint Pain Feel Like?
Pain is usually felt in the buttock and sometimes can refer down into the back of the leg. The pain is usually dull and achey in nature although it can occasionally produce a quick sharp pain if moved the wrong way. If one of the sacroiliac joints is stuck then it can give the feeling of the hip or back being out of alignment as the movement on one side is restricted.
What Are The Symptoms Of Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction?
Some or all of the following symptoms can be felt with SIJ dysfunction:
pain is usually but not always a symptom of sacroiliac joint dysfunction
pain is usually felt in the buttock or back of the leg
a feeling of something being out of alignment
pain felt when turning in bed, getting in and out of the car, or going from sitting to standing.
What Is The Treatment For Sacroiliac Joint Pain?
The aim is to get both the left and right sacroiliac joints moving equally. The best way to achieve this is with manual therapy - there are good manipulation techniques to get a stuck joint moving again. Muscles that help to support the joint can be strengthened if more stability is needed, and exercises can be done to maintain good mobility through the joints.
How Long Does It Take For SIJ Pain To Go Away?
Sometimes pain relief can be almost instant when a stuck joint is manipulated free. More often pain gradually resolves over a period of weeks as the joint settles down the surrounding muscles relax and begin to work normally again.
What Exercise Can I Do With Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction?
Most often low impact exercise is best for sacroiliac joint dysfunction as less force will travel directly through the joint. Rather than being a one-size-fits-all approach to exercise, the type of exercise that can be done with sacroiliac joint dysfunction depends on the person. The most important rule is that if it hurts don’t do it, otherwise carry on with any exercise that you can do comfortably.
Is Walking Good For SIJ Pain?
Sometimes walking can aggravate sacroiliac joint pain as force travels through the joint when we are on one leg. This isn’t always the case and on occasions the pain can actually ease as you warm up so if this is the case then I would encourage you to continue walking.
What Will A Physiotherapist Do?
At The Physiotherapy Place we will diagnose the issue and the factors that have contributed to the sacroiliac joint pain in the first place. Manual therapy for the joint will correct any dysfunction, soft tissue release and dry needling will relax the surrounding muscles and then a specific exercise program will be produced to keep the joint healthy and the muscles strong.