What is Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction?
Do you ever suffer from lower back pain?
Your sacroiliac joint is a joint where your ilium and sacrum meet at the top of you pelvis and lower spine.
When dysfunction happens it is usually coupled with an element of pain in the lower back and hips.
The joint is responsible for connecting the upper and lower body and because of this it experiences a lot of force going through it, however there is only has a small degree of movement in the joint.
SI joint pain, can happen through repetitive injuries and can be common amongst athletes or where excessive forces continue to go through the area.
During pregnancy the hormones that are released relax the sacroiliac ligaments with can make them hypermobile and cause pain later in life.
Pain can also be caused if there is an abnormality of the sacrum bone, this is usually only detected via an x-ray.
It can be really hard to diagnose sacroiliac joint dysfunction because it often presents as lower back pain.
Common symptoms of SI Joint dysfunction are
- Pain localised over the glute
- Sharpe or stabbing pain down the back of the leg to the knee
- Pain when sitting for too long
- Tenderness to the SI joint
- More pain when bending forwards
- Pain when laying on side
Treatment for SI Joint Dysfunction
- Strengthen core and glute muscles to support the SI Joint
- Sports Massage and manipulation
- Ice to reduce the inflammation of the joint
- Medication or steroid injections
Before any treatment plans can be put in place a thorough assessment should take place. This can include range of movement tests, palpation and check leg length.
If you have lower back pain it ibe worth investigating whether or not you could have SI joint dysfunction as there are plenty of things we can do to help you on your road to recovery.
