Among the many causes of low back pain is an issue with the sacroiliac (SI) joint. The SI joint is a critical joint that connects the very base of your spine with your hips; it’s the joint that connects the upper body to the lower body.
As you can imagine, this point of contact is highly sensitive to all the movements your spine and hips make during your life, and when it becomes inflamed or develops a disorder, it affects just about everything you do. Fortunately, physical therapy treatments for sacroiliac joint pain are usually effective in relieving and preventing SI joint pain both in the short- and long-term.
SI joint pain causes
Before you can effectively treat a condition like SI joint pain, you have to know what’s causing it; inflammation is treated differently than arthritis, and both can cause pain in your musculoskeletal system, including the SI joint.
A few common causes of sacroiliac pain include:
- Inflammation (sacroiliitis)
- Injury
- Conditions arising from pregnancy or childbirth
- Infection
- Scoliosis
- Prior back surgery
- Anatomical asymmetry (one leg longer than the other)
Sometimes, SI joint pain arises without a clear cause, which may be confusing and frustrating to a person experiencing the pain, but doesn’t make it any less treatable. Whether you know you’ve injured your tailbone area or have no idea where this pain is coming from, our physical therapists can help you find relief.
Common treatments for SI joint pain
Once your condition has been diagnosed with X-rays or other imaging tests, your physical therapist will have a clearer idea of the right treatment plan for your pain. We can treat sacroiliac joint pain or disorders with treatments like:
- Manual physical therapy
- Joint manipulation
- Strength training
- Pelvic floor exercises
- Ice and heat therapy
We try to avoid recommending medication to treat the symptoms of SI joint pain in part because relying on prescriptions is not a sustainable way of living with reduced pain. With physical therapy, we focus on re-training your muscles and nerves while strengthening the underlying anatomy to lead to positive outcomes. These natural methods incorporate holistic movements and exercises that you can continue to use regularly or when your pain gets worse in the future without the risk of side effects from medication.
Stretches and exercises for the sacroiliac joint
Sacroiliac joint pain exercises are designed to reduce joint stiffness and strengthen the muscles in the pelvis and lower back. The specific exercises used for your treatment plan will be targeted for the condition causing the pain, but may generally involve movements like:
- Hip flexor extensions
- Hip adduction isometric holds
- Hip abduction isometric holds
- Hip abductor stretches
- Glute stretches
- Lumbar spine stretches
- Lumbar/hip strengthening flexes
Your physical therapist may recommend additional treatments to complement the pain relief you need from inflammation, arthritis, or injury. Techniques that can complement pelvic and lumbar pain can include postural training (including sleep position), diaphragmatic breathing, and relaxation techniques for tense muscles.
The goal of physical therapy for sacroiliac joint pain is to encourage full range of motion and strengthen the muscles in the pelvis and lower back to relieve pressure from these pivotal joint areas. Pressure on the SI joint is often made worse by weakened muscles throughout the base of the spine, which is why proactive treatment focuses on strengthening these muscles to support the area and allow for more free movement.
Inflammation and sacroiliitis may involve similar proactive treatments, as well as holistic treatment for inflammation throughout the body if that’s also an issue. This is one of the reasons why a thorough, personalized evaluation is key to long-lasting success in treating sacroiliac pain.
Sacroiliac pain treatment in Missouri
Like many other musculoskeletal issues, sacroiliac joint pain has numerous possible causes that can overlap and which require targeted treatment for the most effective, long-lasting relief. At Excel Sports & Physical Therapy, we’re proud to offer the personalized treatments that people with SI joint pain need to get back to their daily routines with reduced pain and increased mobility. Learn more about your options for treatment and get started by calling a clinic near you or requesting an appointment online today!
