Sacroiliac Joint Pain Successfully Treated with Chiropractic
Sacroiliac Joint - Left Side
Just completed a chiropractic treatment plan for a patient who came in complaining of low back pain. Upon close examination, the problem wasn’t really in her lower back (spine), it was her right sacroiliac joint.
The sacroiliac joint is where each pelvic bone attaches to your sacrum. The sacrum is a triangular shaped bone below the spine; at the end is the coccyx, commonly referred to the tail bone. The pelvic bowl is made up of the sacrum and the two pelvic bones, or ischiums.
The sacroiliac joint is a tough, rigid, fibrous joint. Movement there is very minimal. However, in women, the sacroiliac joint can move during pregnancy. It slides to allow expansion of the pelvis during delivery. Sometimes it doesn’t return to its normal position after giving birth, and gives the mother pain in that area for a long time.
A hard fall on the buttocks can injure the sacroiliac joint and cause it to move out of place. I’ve had skateboarders, surfers, rock climbers, and other patients who do things that put them at risk of falling on their seat complain of sacroliiac joint pain.
When I make the diagnosis, I have the patient come in for several treatments of chiropractic spinal manipulation and physiotherapy. I use a drop table to gently nudge the sacroiliac joint back into alignment. Then, I use manual techniques to put it through its range of motion until realignment sets in. Hotpacks, phototherapy, and InterX stim are also used to speed up healing.
If you are experiencing very low, “low back pain,” it may not be your back, but your sacroiliac joint. Check your local chiropractor.
Dan Perez, DC
(415) 627-9077
