The facts

​

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is formed by the sacrum and the ilium. Simply put, it is the pelvis where your pelvis meats the tailbone.

 

They are big, strong joints that transfer the weight from your lower back to your hips. They can be a common area for injury or sprain.

​

Symptoms of a sacroiliac sprain

​

Symptoms can vary from mild to debilitating, depending on the person.

 

Symptoms may include:

​

• Lower back pain - this can often be felt over the SIJ on either side (you will often feel a sharp pain near, between or over one of the two bony nobs that you feel in your lower back)

• Pain felt across the middle of the lower back

• Sharp pain on either side or tightness in the lower back.

• Muscle stiffness and tightness in the lower back going into the gluteal (bottom) region.

• Pain when getting up from sitting or when getting in and out of cars.

​​

SIJ pain is often confused with hip pain as it can cause tightness in the bottom region and may even refer into the pubic region.

​

It can get worse with extension, i.e. when you lean backwards.

​

​You can usually put your finger on where it is sore in the lower back. This can be slightly different than a disc.​

​

Treatment of sacroiliac pain

​

There are two broad aims of treating sacroiliac pain:

​

• Initial treatment should be aimed at removing  the source of the irritation and restoring motion to the sacroiliac joint.

• Long-term care treatment should be focused on removing factors that irritated the sacroiliac joints, and stabilising the abdominal and pelvic floor.

​​

Do you think you may have SIJ pain? If you live in Ascot Vale, Moonee Ponds or the surrounding area, we've got you covered.

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

References:

1. Solonen, K. A. (1957). "The sacroiliac joint in the light of anatomical, roentgenological and clinical studies". Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica Supplementum. 27: 1–127. PMID 13478452.

2. Manchikanti et al. Prevalance of facet joint pain in chronic spinal pain of cervical thoaric and lumbar refions. BMC Musculoskeletal disorders 2004 (5) 15

3. Cibulka MT; Delitto A & Erhard RE (1992). "Pain patterns in patients with and without sacroiliac joint dysfunction". In Vleeming A; Mooney V; Snijders CJ & Dorman T. First Interdisciplinary World Conference on Low Back Pain and its Relation to the Sacroiliac Joint. pp. 363–70. OCLC 28057865.\

4. Fortin, J. D.; Falco, F. J. (1997). "The Fortin finger test: An indicator of sacroiliac pain". American Journal of Orthopedics. 26 (7): 477–80. PMID 9247654.