Do You Suffer from SI Joint Pain? Physical Therapy Can Help!
I attended my last continuing education class of the year this past weekend. The class covered sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction. I thought we would be talking mostly about the SI joint itself, though we discussed much of the pelvis and connections to it. How perfect for a pelvic physical therapist! SI joint pain is one of many issues that pelvic physical therapy can treat.
So what is the SI joint? This picture shows the connection of the sacrum to the ilium therefore giving you a joint called the sacroiliac, or commonly referred to as the SI.
This next picture shows you the ligaments surrounding this area and doesn’t even include all the muscles, tendons and fascia that connect and cover the pelvis.
When someone comes to physical therapy for SI joint pain, there is more than just a simple exercise or stretch that can be provided to everyone. As you probably know, we are all different. And therefore, though two people may present with pain in the same area, the treatment can be completely different, based on the actual cause of the pain. This is where our evaluation plays an all important role. I need to examine not only the SI joint, but all the surrounding ligaments, muscles and tendons at this level, as well as above and below. Once we know the cause to the pain we can then decide on treatment and a plan for therapy.
Many people that I have met over the years are told they have sciatica. I find that is can be a general diagnosis given to those with low back or buttock pain, especially if it travels to the back side of the leg. With a detailed examination of all the surrounding connections, can we then diagnose a pain with which a patient presents.
This also holds true for SI joint pain. A patient could have radiating pain from the spine or a muscle, have a limitation in any of the many ligaments in the pelvis, restriction of the pelvic floor or abdominal muscles, as well as many other causes.
Whether you are pregnant or an active male, if you are dealing with SI joint pain symptoms give me a call at 518-632-4944 and I can help determine the best treatment for you. If you are currently seeing a chiropractor for SI or LBP and they are adjusting your spine for better alignment, physical therapy is a perfect option to help learn how to strengthen and stabilize around those areas, for longer lasting results and prevention of further injury.
