The sacroiliac joint is where the spine meets the pelvis. It is responsible for a substantial share of low back pain and is routinely overlooked.
What it is
A large, strong joint with very little movement, stabilised by dense ligaments.
Commonly injured by a fall onto the buttock, by a motor vehicle collision, in pregnancy, and after lumbar fusion.
How it usually presents
- Pain focused just below and to one side of the belt line, often pointed to with one finger.
- Pain into the buttock and back of the thigh, usually not past the knee.
- Worse on standing from sitting, on stairs, and lying on that side.
How we treat it
- Examination using a cluster of provocation tests rather than any single one.
- Image-guided sacroiliac joint injection, which is both diagnostic and therapeutic.
- Physical therapy for pelvic and hip stability.
To be assessed, call (314) 310-5577 or request an appointment. If this began with a crash or a fall, see accident and injury care.
Common questions
Why was this missed before?
It refers pain in a pattern that looks like disc or hip pain, and it cannot be diagnosed from an MRI. Without image-guided injection it is easy to attribute the pain elsewhere.
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.