Chiropractic and Sacroiliac Joint Pain
I was going through a period in my life when I was constantly feeling pain in my lower back and hips. I had never experienced back pain before, and I was frustrated, to say the least, that I couldn’t pinpoint what was causing my sudden onset of pain. I decided to do some research to see if I could figure out my symptoms and I stumbled upon a condition called sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
The sacroiliac joint, also known as the SI joint, is known to cause lower back pain that can radiate into the hips, legs and groin. The SI joint is located at the bottom of the spine where it connects the sacrum with the pelvis. One of its main purposes is to act as a shock absorber for the body. It is small, strong and takes the brunt of all the force going to the upper body and pelvis.
It’s not exactly known why this joint is the source of so much pain, but it is speculated that any variation in its normal range of motion may cause the discomfort. This means that either too much or too little movement may cause pain. If you are feeling an aching sensation in the lower back and hip, like I was experiencing, then this may be due to too much activity. If your pain is on one side of the back, buttocks, and leg, then this may mean that you are not moving enough. Too little activity causes a pain similar to sciatica pain.
If you are experiencing sacroiliac joint pain, then chiropractic treatments may be a viable treatment option. Chiropractic manipulations may be successful at reducing the pain, if not getting rid of it completely. In order to most successful treat this SI joint pain, chiropractors will use high velocity thrusts, low amplitude thrusts or spinal mobilization. There may also be adjunctive therapies that your chiropractor suggests to you to implement to go along with the chiropractic therapies.
In order for the chiropractor to successfully treat the SI joint, you will need to lay on your side on the chiropractic table. The chiropractor will then position your body with your top knee flexed and bent toward your chest with the shoulder pitched forward, causing the lower back to stretch. From that position, the chiropractor will position his or her hand on the SI joint, the manipulative thrust will be administered, causing a cavitation, or cracking sound, to be released. With regular chiropractic adjustments, hopefully the SI joint can be restored to its normal, functioning position, relieving the chronic pain.
