SI! Oh My! Why Does My Back Hurt?

By Kim Horton, PT

Restore: Physical Therapy & Wellness

. http://www.restoreptwellness.com/

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SI! Oh My! Why Does My Back Hurt?

It is almost guaranteed that at some point in everyone's life they will experience back pain. It may be just a muscle strain from too much work in the yard or be something much more serious and long lasting. Back pain is one of the most prevalent health issues suffered in this country. Standard treatments are often tailored only to symptoms, and not necessarily to the origin of the problem.

Frequently patients will complain of pain that begins in the lower back and will radiate into buttocks or further down into legs. There are times when the cause of the pain is a disc, but more often the issue is actually originating at the sacroiliac joints (SIJ).

The SIJ are the location where the pelvis and the base of the spine meet. They are not true joints, like a shoulder or knee, but a bony meeting of the pelvis and spine. There is not a great deal of movement at the SIJ, but often one side of the pelvis will not move correctly and will result in pain.

The SIJ can be likened to the foundation of a house. If it is not level, then nothing built on it will be in line to work properly. The same could be said about the relationship between the SIJ and the back. The spine will shift to compensate for the lack of motion at the SIJ.

The resultant issues can be far reaching-muscle spasms, joint pain and even nerve pain.

The most effective treatment is to increase the correct movement at the SIJ. Pain relief is often fairly rapid; within only three to five sessions of physical therapy.

After the joints have been restored to normal mobility, the therapist will often work to increase strength in the muscles to stabilize this location. Manual physical therapy is an extremely effective treatment for back pain, whether it originates at the SIJ or not. If you suffer from back pain, you should have an evaluation by a PT.

There is no reason to live in pain.