Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Low back pain will affect more than 80% of the population at some point in their life. There are a variety of reasons that low back pain can present. Most often, the low back becomes painful due to an acute injury or a mechanical strain/sprain. When the low back musculature becomes strained, it can create dysfunction on the joints in which they attach. Usually, pain presents over the two bony knobs (or back dimples you can see) on the low back, those bony knobs are where the sacroiliac (SI) joints are found.

What is the Sacroiliac Joint?

The sacroiliac joint is a joint made where the crest of the pelvis (ilium) wraps around and meets with the top of the tailbone (sacrum). The SI joint is then held together with cartilage, ligaments, and muscular attachments. The purpose of this joint is to support our weight and absorb shock as you walk or run. Your hips obviously create movement for us to walk, putting one leg in front of the other. Because your legs move forward and backward, the sacroiliac joint must move like a figure eight to allow this movement. It turns out, the SI joint is pretty important to us! Just like any other joint in the body, it can become injured.

What can cause injury?

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction can occur from too much or too little movement and inflammation causing the low back to feel generally stiff. Common movements that cause injury is falling, landing heavily on one leg (jamming the hip), lifting with the knees locked, running downhill, dancing, and gymnastics. If the pelvis is overworked with weak musculature not providing support, too much movement can occur and pain can present. However, sometimes with lack of movement the musculature around the joint can become stiff and cause pain.

Common symptoms of Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

• Pain directly over the bony knobs in the low back
• Muscle spasm
• Pain can refer into the buttock, thigh, and/or groin region
• Sitting makes pain better
• Standing and walking makes pain worse

Chiropractic Care at Miller Sports & Family Chiropractic

Chiropractic manipulation of the SI joint aims to restore normal motion, reduce inflammation, and regulate muscular tone. After a thorough patient assessment and determination that chiropractic care is warranted, choice of manipulation approach will be chosen.

• Diversified manipulation – use of the chiropractors hands over the affected joint, creating movement with a quick thrust
• Drop table manipulation – use of the table helping to create movement within the affected joint
• Activator technique – use of a spring loaded mechanical instrument, creating a quick low force impulse into the affected joint

An Assessment of the musculature around the SI joint will also be performed. Stretching tight muscles and strengthening weak muscles can help create proper balance around the joint. In the common population, the glute muscles and abdominal muscles are weak while the front hip flexors and low back muscles along the spine are tight.

Laser therapy can also be utilized to reduce pain and inflammation around the SI joint. The laser penetrates and targets at a cellular level, which encourages blood supply and nutrients to flood the area.

Kinesiology tape can also be placed along the low back and SI joint. The goal of KT tape is to reduce inflammation and improve range of motion. The tape provides a functional support to the SI joint.

Call us today!

If you are experiencing low back pain, it is important to know that you are not alone! Back pain will occur in the majority of the population at some point in their lives. If your pain is present over those bony knobs in your low back and the pain is made worse with movement, the SI joint may the issue. Call us today and be on your way to having back pain become a thing of the past!