To be able to properly comprehend Sacroiliac Joint Pain, let’s first visualize where the Sacroiliac is. The Sacroiliac is a joint located in the lower end of the spine, at the back of the pelvis. Sacroiliac joint pain, or SI joint pain for short, is the result of an inflammation of one or both of the SI joints. Also known as Sacroiliitis, pain in the SI area can also cause pain in the lower back, buttocks and the legs. To get all the information needed about Sacroiliac Joint pain, read what’s to come.

What is SI joint pain?

SI joints and SI joint injuries are concepts that are overlooked. However, it is important to shed light on the danger of injuring that part of the lower body. Your SI joints reduce the strain on the spine by distributing the shock of motions to all the areas of the pelvis during activities as basic as walking.

They also play an immense role in the ability to preserve a proper and upright posture while walking or running. With that being said, injuring these SI joints might cause an alteration in mobility and if not treated properly could even affect one’s spine and permanently damage the patient’s ability to move in the “right away” or their ability to move altogether.

What are the causes of SI joint pain?

SI joint pain is majorly caused by injury or damage to the SI joint between the spine and hip. Here are some causes for pain in the Sacroiliac joint:

• Gait issues: Gait is defined by the different ways the human body can move. Along those lines, gate issues are defined by abnormalities in the ability to move in the “usual way”. Gait issues may be caused by injuries or preexisting conditions/ problems with one’s legs and feet. An example of a gait issue that might cause sacroiliac joint pain is scoliosis.

  You may ask yourself why is that? Well scoliosis places uneven pressure on one side of the pelvis which results in added pressure on the SI joint. This added pressure will eventually wear out the joint or even cause it to tear. A tear in the SI joint will cause daily activities, such as walking, to be more painful than they should.

• Traumatic injuries: The main function of the SI joint is to absorb shock for the spine and provide stability. Any sudden, excessive and severe shock on the joint from incidents like accidents or acute falls will cause the ligaments to loosen or tighten which will increase the pain in that area of the body.

• Excess stress on the joint: Mostly geared towards athletes, contact sports and heavy weight lifting are things that may cause SI joint pain. This can be explained by the possibility of wearing off the ligament in the SI joint if overused by repeating the same movement over and over again. In other cases, labor intensive jobs, unconditioned pelvic/lower back muscles, prolonged periods of standing and sitting are other acts that may contribute to SI joint pain.

• Arthritis: Arthritis is the swelling of one or multiple joints, some of which may affect the spine. Arthritis can develop overtime with the wear-and-tear damage of the cartilage of the joint or can its lining be attacked by the body’s immune system. Arthritis can lead to SI joint pain since Sacroiliac is actually a joint. Some factors of arthritis are age, and family’s history so it is recommended to get tested to prevent arthritis.

• Pregnancy: During pregnancy, a woman experiences weight gain, hormonal changes as well as gait changes, which all play a role in the extra pressure present on the SI joint and the possible pain in the pelvic bone. On top of that, childbirth requires the ligaments in the SI joint to relax, which is known as hypermobility, and causes a change in the pelvic floor muscle, painful necessities to allow the women to move the baby down to the birth canal.

• Previous lower back surgery: After a back surgery, the patient is usually prescribed bed rest. With this lack of mobility comes an unusual shock on the pelvis once the bed rest is over. So patients who have undergone a lower back of hip surgery should expect pain in the Sacroiliac Joint due to the disuse of that part of the body for a period of time.

• Infection: While this is a rare cause of Sacroiliac Joint pain, the joint itself can get infected which will cause massive distress in the area.

What are the symptoms of SI joint pain?

The symptoms listed below are usually felt in the buttocks and lower back. However, it can also be felt in the legs, feet and sometimes the groin. To tell if you have sacroiliac joint pain look out for:

• Lower back pain,

• Stiffness,

• Numbness,

• Static like pain,

• Inflammation in the pelvis,

• Sharp or stabbing like pain the mentioned areas,

• Burning sensation in the pelvis,

• Pain that has spread to the buttocks, hips and pelvis,

• Pain that has spread to your thighs and upper legs,

• Pain that increases when sitting or standing from that seated position,

• Instability. To be more specific it is the feeling that your legs may not support your body and that they might buckle.

These symptoms can be experienced on one side or in both of the sacroiliac joints. It is also important to note that each patient will experience Sacroiliac Joint pain differently and might not come across all the symptoms.

What should I ask my doctor during my visit?

The lower body and pelvic area is not a territory that many people understand or know enough about. So asking questions, and the right questions is essential in understanding why and how you have injured your SI joint as well as how to recover and the importance of recovery. So here, to help you out, are some essential questions to ask your doctor during your visit:

• What's likely causing my symptoms?

• What tests do I need?

• Does my family history have anything to do with my SI joint pain?

• Is my condition temporary or chronic?

• What are other possible causes?

• Will this condition affect any of my other conditions?

• How can I best manage this condition with my other health conditions?

• Which treatment is the best for my condition?

• Are there any alternatives to the primary approaches of recovery?

• What's the best course of action for my case?

• Are there restrictions I need to follow?

• What websites do you recommend to learn more about this? Do you offer any brochures or printed material I can have?

A lot of people are intimidated by doctors or shy to ask questions. But remember it is your right to know and their job to answer, so ask enough questions in order to fully understand this sensitive subject.

Can I do anything to relieve myself from the pain at home?

While it is best to visit a doctor and to get professional help due to the sensitivity of the area of injury, here are some initial ways to handle your SI joint pain:

• Rest period: Rest your lower body and avoid excess pressure on the pelvic bones and spine. But make the rest period brief. Don’t overdue the best rest. Overdoing it might lead to disuse syndrome which will aggravate the pain and cause extra stiffness in the pelvis and SI joints.

• Apply ice or heat: Applying ice to the affected area will reduce inflammation which in turn will reduce the pain and alleviate any discomfort in the low back and pelvis. Similarly, applying heat around the joint will prevent muscle spasms and will reduce the muscle tension which will consequently lead to less pain in the affected area.

What will the doctor do to get rid of my Sacroiliac Joint pain?

Depending on the severity of the SI joint pain, treatments will vary. These treatments include:

• Medication: Depending on the cause of the pain, these medications may be pain relievers, or muscle relaxers.

• Therapy: Therapy is a good way to maintain joint flexibility and re-strengthen the injured muscles. It will rehabilitate your hip and pelvis’s range of motion.

• Joint injections: Cortisol will be injected into the joint which will reduce inflammation and pain. The injections are limited to a couple a year since a side effect is the weakening of the joint’s tendons and bones.

• Surgery: In the case where nonsurgical remedies did not work, surgery to aid recovery is the next option. The surgery will aid the joint to stabilize and promote bone growth by placing metal implants around the affected area.

What can I do to prevent Sacroiliac Joint pain?

It is important to learn about the steps you can take to prevent any pain and injury in the pelvic area as it is a sensitive area and plays a very big role in daily activities like sitting, standing, walking and is an essential part of any sport. To prevent SI injuries:

• Adopt proper posture while sitting, standing, moving and sleeping

• Strengthen your lower back with workout to make it less prone to injury

• Stretch before and after workout to prevent injury

• Adopt a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition, healthy weight, lean body mass

• Cut back on smoking

• Learn relaxation techniques and how to manage your stress to prevent excess stress on your joints.

Outlook

All in all, SI joints are an essential part of all of our everyday life activities and injuries related to them should not be taken lightly. With that being said, visit your doctors if pain in that area has been felt to prevent it from spreading to other parts of your lower body including your spine, which would quickly aggravate your situation. Also, do not forget and do not shy away from asking your doctor any questions or clarifications if needed.

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If you or anyone you know is suffering from pain in your hip/lower buttocks, call us today on (469) 562 4188 to book an appointment with our expert doctors.