By Amy Price PhD
SI Pain is often caused by sacroiliitis (inflammation of the SI Joint) and can cause low back pain which often hurts on one side. The pain can be extreme aching sensation which is referred to the low back, buttock or thigh. This is called sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction The reason it hurts is because there is too much or too little movement in the joint which causes strain because the bones are not adequately supported and the anatomy becomes asymetrical. It is estimated this area is painful for as much as 15% of the population at any one time. 85 % of us will experience significant back pain in our life times
The sacroiliac joint or SI joint is the joint in the bony pelvis between the sacrum and the ilium of the pelvis. The joint is a strong, weight bearing synovial joint. These joints are shaped much like kidney beans.The joints are covered by two different kinds of cartilage; the sacral surface has hyaline cartilage and the ilial surface has fibrocartilage. Prolotherapy is often used to strengthen the cartilege and provoke a healing process, it is important that the joint is mobilized and positioned correctly before prolotherapy and that prolotherapy be guided by flouroscopy so that treatment is accurately placed. The dermatome map can show pain patterns Cortizone injections are sometimes used to treat this area but release can be short lived unless the structural problem is addressed.
There are other conditions such as disk herniations, lumbar nerve compression, hip degeneration or sensory motor proprioception deficits that can mimic this difficulty so it is important to be examined and treated by a qualified medical professional. With an SI joint dysfunction present it is not a good idea to do psoas stretches as this can increase movement and instability.
Richard Don Tigny has developed some excellent methods for treating this problem through correct positioning and strengthening exercises. I have personally found this method very beneficial. I was erroneously treated for piriformis syndrome and other things for years before I finally found relief using these simple effective corrections I could do myself. I know of several individuals who were recommended for surgical procedures, tried this method instead and became pain free without surgery. Don Tigny has validated his method with research. There is a video available for purchase by patients and professionals which is well worth the investment. He has granted permission to show three corrections and there is also a link supplied to his website. He has made available multiple materials, research links, explanations and solutions. A link to his site and some useful corrections are available here.
