Sacroiliac Joint Pain or Lower Back Pain?

 

In our Downtown Toronto Physiotherapy and Pilates practice Sacroiliac joint pain is a common condition. It can mimic lower back pain but the source and cause are quite different. It also requires a specific assessment of the pelvis and muscles acting on it. In this blog I explain the distinguishing characteristics of sacroiliac joint pain compared to lower back pain. I also explain the basic treatment principles and the role of ‘motor control’ in rehabilitation and how this applies to the sacroiliac joint.

What is sacroiliac joint pain?

Pilates4Physio - Physiotherapy and Pilates - Downtown Toronto - Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Anatomy of the Sacroiliac Joint.

Pain can come from either of the two joints and the muscles connected to the pelvis. The joint can be twisted causing a deep ache in the hip and buttock area. In some situations the joint can become inflamed if it is too mobile. Some of the muscles attached to the pelvis and hip can go into spasm and become quite achey.

Most patients will describe it as lower back pain because the pattern of pain can be similar. It can be a major cause of pain in the lower back and pelvic area in all age and activity groups. It can be particularly prevalent before and after pregnancy where the ligaments become lax causing the joint to be more unstable.

 

 

In our practice we find that men and women test weak in the muscles that stabilize the sacroiliac joint. This has usually been going on for a while and then a specific event might pull the joint out of alignment. In some patients it can be a specific trauma such as a motor vehicle accident or fall on the pelvis.

In our experience apart from pregnancy and trauma being obvious causes, there is not one causal factor that explains pain and weakness in the sacroiliac joint. Each person demonstrates a combination of biomechanical factors that cause misalignment and the underlying muscle weakness. In the more insidious cases, the lack of muscle control is the underlying cause.

Getting the correct diagnosis that distinguishes it from lower back pain is essential for directed treatment. Sacroiliac joint pain is both a mechanical problem of the joint being misaligned and muscle imbalances.

Four symptoms that indicate you have a sacroiliac joint problem.

Pilates4Physio - Physiotherapy and Pilates - Downtown - Toronto - Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Sacroiliac Joint Pain.

 

 

  • Pain is felt at the back of the hip and pelvis, sometimes coming round to the front of the hip and groin. It is usually present on one side.
  • The leg can feel shorter or longer, particularly if there is a significant misalignment.
  • Pain can be felt in standing and walking, worse when using stairs.
  • Pain can radiate down to the knee, but not usually below.

 

There are a number of tests we do in the clinic that can further diagnose a sacroiliac joint problem compared to a lower back issue. Most of the time we are able to find that the joint has been rotated or twisted and also if the patient has a muscle control problem causing the joint to be unstable.

What is the treatment for a sacroiliac joint problem?

  • The joint needs to be manually mobilized into the correct alignment.
  • Taping or a sacroiliac belt are necessary to provide short-term stability.
  • The muscles around the hip and pelvis need to be strengthened.
  • Motor control patterns need to be retrained so that the muscles work in a stabilizing way. Pilates rehabilitation is ideal for this as it has a unique way of training the stabilizing muscles. Read: What Makes Pilates and Physiotherapy so Effective

What Is Motor Control In Rehabilitation?

Many patients, not surprisingly, seem a bit confused between the concepts of strengthening and motor control. Firstly, motor control is the coordinated pattern of how muscles stabilize a joint. Strengthening refers to an individual exercise for each muscle. Our muscular system is complex with each muscle and groups of them having different functions. The pelvic joints need to be trained just like an sprained ankle. Ankle joints need balancing exercises to retrain the stabilizing role of all the muscles acting on the joint. The pelvis is no different. Individual muscles need to be targeted and then trained to work in groups to stabilize the sacroiliac joint.

Hopefully this blog post will help you to understand what sacroiliac joint pain is and how we treat it. If you have any questions about a condition you have, please do not hesitate to contact us through our contact form on the website contact page

Damian Wyard is a Physiotherapist and Stott Pilates Rehabilitation Instructor based in Downtown Toronto. He combines manual therapy, sports massage and Pilates to provide a unique approach to musculoskeletal injuries. He has 13 years experience as a Physiotherapist and Pilates instructor. 

Meet Damian

Damian Wyard

Damian Wyard has been a registered physiotherapist since 2003. He has also been teaching Pilates for over 20 years. In his unique practice, he combines physiotherapy treatments with Pilates rehabilitation, using the classic equipment. Damian blends manual therapy, sports massage and Pilates to rehabilitate most musculo-skeletal injuries/conditions. He uses Pilates-based exercise to treat both acute and persistent pain. Damian is always keeping up to date with the research and new skills, so that patients receive the best care. To learn more about Damian, read his full bio here.

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