SI Joint Pain

By Muhammed Adams, PT, DPT

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD) is one of the causes of pain in patients with low back and groin pain. This condition can easily be confused with conditions such as lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis and facet joint syndrome, which have a similar pain pattern.

There are many different causes of SI joint dysfunction. Some of the common causes of SI joint pain are degenerative arthritis, pregnancy, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis just to name a few. Also conditions that alter the pattern of normal walking can place increased stress on the SI joint. Patients also with increased pain in their lower extremities over a prolonged period can develop SI joint pain.

Sign and symptoms of SI joint dysfunction would be dull unilateral low back pain, possible pain during sexual intercourse, referred pain that radiates into the hip and groin but rarely passes the knee, and pain made worse while performing activities such as sit to stand, one legged stance, and ascending stairs.

There are different ways to treat the SI joint. One way of treating the SI joint is with a SI belt. An SI belt brace is about the size of a rather wide belt that can be wrapped around the waist and pulled snuggly to stabilize the sacroiliac joint. This can sometimes be very helpful at times when the joint is inflamed or painful.

Physical therapy is a helpful way to strengthen the muscles around the sacroiliac joint and appropriately increase range of motion. In addition, any type of gentle, low impact aerobic exercise will help increase the flow of blood to the area, which in turn stimulates a healing response. For severe pain, water therapy may be a reasonable option, as the water provides buoyancy for the body and reduces stress on the painful joint.