What do you know about SI Joint Pain and could it be the cause of your back pain?

The “SI” joint is where your spine meets your pelvis. The sacroiliac joint, to give its full name, is where your sacrum and ilium join. It is often felt in the low back and glutes.

The SI joint is a synovial joint, so it has a joint capsule with synovial fluid inside, like the knee or shoulder, It is also supported by ligaments, which can become problematic during some pregnancies.

The SI joint's job is to transfer force from one side of your upper body to the other.

The sacrum is often implicated as a focal point for lower back pain. Forces applied to the sacrum and SI joint (which connects the sacrum and iliac bones) may account for as much as 27% of all lower back pain complaints

Wong M, Kiel J. Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Sacroiliac Joint. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Symptoms

Pain only one side of your lower back, or both sides

Pain with prolonged standing

Pain that worsens with walking, running, or taking large strides

Pain that worsens with certain movements, such as getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, or turning in bed

Muscle tightness and tenderness in your hips or buttocks

Causes

Trauma: A sudden impact, such as a fall car accident, can damage the SI joint.

Pregnancy: Hormones are released to loosen ligaments and joints to prepare for childbirth, which changes the way the SI joint moves and makes it less stable. Extra weight also puts more stress on the SI joints, leading to additional wear.

Abnormal walking pattern: If one leg is shorter than the other, or you favour one leg when you walk because of pain, it can lead to SI joint pain.

Spine surgeries: Fusing vertebrae reduces flexibility in the spine, which can increase stress on the SI joint.

Infection: In rare cases, the SI joint can become infected and degenerate.

https://creakyjoints.org/education/sacroiliac-joint-pain/

There are things that may be aggravating any SI joint pain, particularly pursuits that are one sided or transfer force from one side to the other, your golf swing for example. There are also things that are very beneficial; swimming, strengthening exercises and certain yoga poses.

Any issues that involve SI Joint pain, can benefit from massage. Your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings will all be working overtime when you are experiencing any kind of SI joint disfunction, as they work hard to protect and create stability when your pelvis is experiencing issues.

This means that core stability is key to helping SI Joint problems, I work to help with a combination of stretching, strengthening and targeted manual therapy to help with your symptoms.