Sacroiliac Joint Pain

What is it?

The sacroiliac (SI) joint is located in the pelvis, linking the pelvis to the sacrum (lowest part of the spine above the tailbone). This joint transfers weight and forces between your upper body and leg and is stabilised by a network of strong ligaments.
There is no doubt that SI joint problems are common yet under-diagnosed and often grouped in with mechanical back pain.  A specialist therefore requires the right level of clinical suspicion and awareness of the condition to make the correct diagnosis.

What are the symptoms?

Here are some common SI joint pain symptoms:

​

• Lower back pain (below L5)
• Sensation in lower extremity: pain, numbness, tingling, weakness
• Pelvis/buttock pain
• Hip/groin pain
• Feeling of leg instability (buckling, giving way)
• Disturbed sleep patterns due to pain
• Disturbed sitting patterns (unable to sit for long periods, sitting on one side)

Pain going from sitting to standing

Management

Some patients respond to nonsurgical options: medications, physical therapy, and/or steroid injections. Intermittent use of a sacroiliac belt (also called a pelvic belt) may provide symptom relief as well.  Radiofrequency denervation aims to numb the sacroiliac joint and can also help patients avoid surgery.

​

If all conservative treatments fail, then surgery to fuse the joint has high success rates in carefully selected patients.  Mr. Lau was one of the earliest adopters of the iFuse implant in the UK, a minimally invasive operation to fuse the sacroiliac joint.

​