Sacro-Iliac Joint (SIJ) Disorders

One common cause of lower back pain is injury to the sacro-iliac joint.  This joint is between the sacrum which is the base of your spine and your ilium or pelvis.  Like all the joints of our body the sacro-iliac joint has ligaments which control movement.  Occasionally these ligaments can be sprained or stretched.  SIJ injuries are far more common among women and often occur during or shortly after pregnancy due to slackening of the ligaments.  SIJ injuries can also occur during an accident such as a motor vehicle accident or a fall on the hip or tailbone.  Patients with SIJ injury often c/o lower back pain radiating to the buttock, around the hip or to the tailbone.  These injuries are often painful with position changes such as sitting-standing, rolling in bed or stepping off of a curb.

(Picture courtesy of PMREHAB Pain & Sports Medicine Associates)

NCSPT physiotherapists will perform a comprehensive assessment of your lower back and hip to diagnose your injury.  The injury and recommended course of treatment will be explained to you and an assessment report sent to your doctor.  Treatment of sacro-iliac joint injury may include spinal manual therapy to restore full pain free mobility, anti-inflammatory modalities for pain and swelling, and education on what you can do yourself to recover from this injury.  Treatment may also include bracing to support the painful joint especially if pregnant or shortly after delivery.  Acupuncture or intra-muscular stimulation may also be helpful.  Most importantly with these injuries is specific exercise prescription to regain the strength of the surrounding muscles to avoid re-injury and return to your daily activities.  If you have failed previously with physiotherapy for a sacro-iliac joint injury there are other options and the physiotherapists at NCSPT can help arrange further investigations or alternative treatments such as prolotherapy.

Please feel free to contact us for further information about sacro-iliac joint injuries or to arrange an appointment.