The Sacroiliac joint, or SI joint, is the joint in the posterior pelvis where the sacrum meets the ilium of the pelvis. Many people refer to this area when they say they have “lower back” pain. Look in the mirror and you may have dimples or divets there. When this joint is dysfunctional, it is extremely painful, creating a pinching sensation and an inability to fold your body forward.
Why is this joint important? The sacrum is the flat base of your spine, just above the coccyx and just below the lumbar vertebrae. The sacrum is the shock absorber for our spine – it’s meant to move so the shock of walking or other impact activities doesn’t load into the lumbar and thoracic spine. When there is uneven pulling on one side of the pelvis or another, the sacrum moves and shifts at an angle or tilts into another plane of movement. When this happens, the sacrum is unable to glide and absorb the shock of our movement, and the glute tissue surrounding the joints tighten and develop trigger points causing further pain and dysfunction.
Neuromuscular Therapy can help to release the trigger points in the glute medius and maximus, piriformis and other hip rotators, and erector spinae that aid in SI joint dysfunction. Stretches and PT-based exercises can help to re-balance the pelvis and support correct movement of the joint.
One thought on “Anatomy Spotlight: Sacroiliac joint”
I can certainly confirm that SI joint dysfunction is a serious pain in the ***, but that both myofascial release and neuromuscular therapy at NMT Studio have helped me greatly with this issue.