Column Sacroiliac joint pain, differences with other back and joint pain, causes, and possible treatments.

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12.12.2024

What is sacroiliac joint pain?

Sacroiliac joint pain is caused by sacroiliac joint disorders or sacroiliac arthritis.

The sacroiliac joint is the joint between the sacrum and ilium in the pelvis. It supports the weight of the upper body and plays a role in interlocking it with the lower body and balancing the body.

Pain can occur on one or both sides of the joint when the joint is slightly misaligned or inflamed due to work in the middle back, external impact, childbirth, etc. This is known as sacroiliac joint disorder or sacroiliac joint disorder. This is called sacroiliac joint disorder or sacroiliac arthritis.

Sacroiliac joint disorders occur in the following cases:

・When the patient performs repetitive tasks involving working on one leg or shifting one’s body weight, such as working on a production line or in a food preparation area.

・During the pregnancy or postpartum period.

・When engaging repeatedly in sports that require putting a lot of strain on one leg, such as soccer or softball.

・When your job that involves repeated heavy lifting.

Sacroiliac joint pain is said to account for 15% to 30% of patients with low back pain. *1

＊1：Cohen S.P., Chen Y., Neufeld N.J. Sacroiliac joint pain: a comprehensive review of epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 13(1), 2013.

Symptoms of Sacroiliac Joint Disorders

The main symptoms of sacroiliac joint disorder are back pain, buttock pain, and pain or numbness in the lower extremities.

Sacroiliac joint disorder pain is characterized by the following:

・Pain when going up and down stairs

・Difficulty standing for long periods of time

・Pain when weight is placed on one leg.

・Pain when running or when walking in long strides

・Pain in the lower back at the start of walking which gradually gets better after walking for some time.

・Inability to sit in a chair for extended periods of time.

・ Inability to lie on one’s back

Differences with other low back pain

Characteristic symptoms of sacroiliac joint disorders are pain in the sacroiliac joint area (unilateral or bilateral), pain in the posterior lateral thighs, and pain in the groin area.

Patients often report having difficulty in sitting for long periods of time, difficulty sleeping with the painful side down, and experiencing pain at the onset of any movement.

Symptoms of sacroiliac joint disorders can be very similar to those of disc herniation or similar conditions. The so-called “one-finger test” is used to confirm sacroiliac joint disorders. If the patient points with one finger at their lower back or buttocks and feels pain near the superior posterior iliac spine, sacroiliac joint disorder can be suspected.

Causes of Sacroiliac Joint Pain

Sacroiliac joint disorder is believed to be caused by uneven loading of the pelvis caused by frequently twisting at the waist, repeatedly opening one’s legs wide back and forth, working in an intermediate squatting position, or trauma.

The risk of developing this disorder tends to be higher if you are in the habit of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder or crossing your legs when sitting down.

In women, menstrual cycles and childbirth are said to loosen the ligaments around the sacroiliac joint, leading to the development of such disorders.

Recent studies have shown that herniated discs are related to the onset of sacroiliac joint disorders, and when disc herniation is compounded by spinal canal stenosis or such, sacroiliac joint disorders will also progress and become more severe. *2

＊2：Zhixiang Huang, et al. Lumbar Disc Herniation is a Nonnegligible Factor for the Degeneration of Sacroiliac Joints. Pain Physician. 2021, 24(3).

Treatment of Sacroiliac Joint Pain

仙When sacroiliac joint disorders are detected, conservative therapy is the first step.

Painkillers can be taken and supporters fitted to help circumscribe the pain. Blocked injections may also be used to relieve pain.

Stretching and physical training can also be effective for sacroiliac joint disorders. For example, the exercise called drawing can be effective.:

1. Lie on your back and stand with your knees up.

2. Draw your chin slightly up and extend your spine.

3. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth while keeping your body still.

4. As you exhale, pull your navel in toward your back and lift it further toward your chest.

5. Breathe in with your chest, being careful not to let your stomach expand as much as possible when you inhale.

* Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Although it is very rarely performed, if there is no improvement with conservative treatment and strong symptoms persist, sacroiliac joint fusion surgery may be performed to stop the movement of the sacroiliac joint.

Treatment at our clinic

As mentioned above, disc herniation is believed to be related to sacroiliac joint disorders. It is considered that treating a herniated disc can also prevent sacroiliac joint disorder.

Disc herniation begins when a fissure opens in an intervertebral disc.

With the cellgel procedure performed at our clinic, a drug is injected into the disc and fills in the cracks, before turning into a gel and repairing the cracks, thus providing a fundamental cure. It is characterized by the fact that the volume of the disc is not reduced and the drug remains in the disc as a gel-like implant after treatment, thus preserving the disc.