One of the most common sources of low back pain I see in practice is dysfunction in the joint(s) where the pelvis meets the spine. Aptly named after the two bones that meet, the sacroiliac joint (SIJ); sacrum – the lowest load bearing spinal bone, and ilium – the large bone of the pelvis/hip. This joint is responsible for a large amount of load transfer from the trunk to the pelvis when sitting and from the pelvis up to the trunk when ambulating or walking. Dysfunction here can present as non midline (off to either side) low back pain, often radiating into the glutes or to the back of the leg. Rarely does dysfunction here travel past the knee. There is usually multiple factors contributing to dysfunction in this joint: deep core weakness and glute/lateral hip stabilizer weakness can cause excessive movement or instability in the SIJ and imbalanced loading through the pelvis with static positions can cause restriction in how the joint moves.
It is not uncommon to have a pattern of both, where one side becomes restricted or stops moving, and the other side becomes unstable, or moves excessively; therefore it is not uncommon for the pain to change sides. Some simple ergonomic changes can go a long way in decreasing symptoms from SIJ dysfunction. Removing your wallet from your back pocket and reducing time spent with one leg crossed over the other when you sit. If you sit for many hours in a day, try to be mindful of keeping the pressure on the SIT bones as even as possible. If you sleep on your side, try putting a pillow between your knees, or under your top knee if your legs are not stacked. Try switching sides when doing rotational chores, such as shoveling, vacuuming or sweeping. Strengthening deep core muscles through abdominal bracing or dead bug exercises and glute activation through exercises such as banded walks or clam shells can also be very effective at reducing recurrence in frequency and intensity. If you are feeling stuck, consider visiting a chiropractor. If you feel weak or think you would benefit from exercise guidance visiting a physiotherapist.
Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements, and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media LLC (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses, or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability, or timeliness of any content submitted, inclusive of materials generated or composed through artificial intelligence (AI). All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party.
