The sacroiliac joint is a common cause of lower back and buttock pain in patients. Each of us has two sacroiliac joints one on the right and one on the left. The sacroiliac joint is the meeting place of two of the pelvic bones; the sacrum and the ilium. Problems with the sacroiliac joint are common and are thought to be the result of excessive movement due to laxity in the ligaments and soft tissue structures that support the joint.
The sacroiliac joint can be felt approximately one inch to the right and to the left of the spine just above the buttocks. Pain with this condition is felt very low in the lower back or at the top of the buttocks. Usually this type of back pain is one sided affecting either the right or the left. Occasionally it affects both sides. It’s also a common condition in pregnancy or shortly after giving birth.
Treatment of sacroiliac joint problems involves deep tissue trigger pointing, manipulation and joint mobilisations as well as core and pelvic stabilisation exercises. The condition is usually expected to settle within a couple of weeks once correctly diagnosed and treated. If the sacroiliac problem fails to settle with physiotherapy and rest it may be necessary to have the joint injected with an anti-inflammatory.