It is not unusual to have a pain that seems to be vaguely found in the hip and lower back region. The pain is neither found in the hip area of the upper leg nor is it in the middle of the spine in the lower back. When asked to point to it most people will locate an area at the top of the buttock where is a bony bump. This is an area called sacroiliac joint (abbreviated S.I. Joint) and it is the source of many people's complaints. One study showed it to be the source of 23% of lower back pain.
The sacroiliac joint is actually a joint in the pelvis between the sacral bone and the iliac bone. There is one on each side of the pelvis. The S.I. joint acts as a "sliding or gliding" joint that moves with each step. It carries a lot of the weight of the upper body and is a common source of pain.
It can be hurt with a sudden trauma or more slowly due to poor posture or repetitive stress. Many times repetitive twisting movements involved in activities like vacuuming, sweeping, raking and snow shoveling can aggravate the sacroiliac joint. It is also commonly irritated in women during or following pregnancy due to added weight-bearing of the developing child.
When the S.I. joint is injured the surrounding muscles can go into spasm. Also nearby nerves can become sensitive and feel "pinched". Sometimes the pain can be felt in the lower back, buttocks, hip and upper leg or even all of these areas at the same time.
Sacroiliac joint problems may be intermittent but reoccurring. Sometimes the complaint can be constant with occasional episodes of stronger intense pain.
Proper diagnosis is important in effective treatment of this pelvic joint. Often doctors and therapists confuse problems of the S.I. joint as coming from the hip joint of the upper thigh or conditions of the lower back and spinal discs.
Many times patients are treated with prescription medicines such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroid injections, such as prednisone, but the improvement is minimal and temporary. At times, medications can actually be harmful to this pelvic joint and to organs such as the stomach, intestines and the kidneys. Therapies aimed at stretching and strengthening exercises alone are also usually ineffective.
In trying to correct the problem it is important to look at why the sacroiliac joint is causing complaints. Many times, the S.I. joint is out of alignment or moving improperly. If this is the case chiropractic treatment can be a safe and effective way to address the problem. Chiropractic manipulation or adjustments work to realign the pelvis and introduce proper movement into the malfunctioning joint. Following chiropractic adjustments exercises can then be given to stretch and strengthen the supporting structures. At-home therapies, such as using applications of cold packs, can be helpful to hasten the improvement of the problem. Education regarding proper posture and the correct way to perform physical activities is important to keep the condition from returning.
If you are having problems in that area around the hip and lower back consider that it may be coming from a sacroiliac joint problem and see a chiropractor for the proper diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
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