When my SI joints were at their worst, they were extremely sensitive to the kind of surface I was resting on. Of course, in the midst of my problem, the mattress I’d loved for about 10 years finally wore out. And it wore out bad. Now that I’m doing better, it’s almost hard to remember how sensitive I was. At the time, all I knew was … Continue reading The mattress that helped my SI joint issues
Hey everyone, Something my female readers ask me pretty about often is whether our hormones can play a role in SI joint dysfunction. The answer to this question is definitely yes — although it’s something you may not notice as much, once you become stronger. Basically, one of the hormones a woman’s body releases in the days leading up to her period is a hormone … Continue reading Powerful female hormones, injuries & back pain
Hey everyone, I recently stumbled upon this fascinating-looking course: Evidence-Based Examination and Treatment of the Pelvis through Medbridge Education. It’s a continuing education course for physical therapists who want to be able to treat SIJ pain. It’s given by Dr. Alexis Wright, who has a pretty impressive resume. She has a Ph.D. in physical therapy clinical research, is APTA board-certified in orthopedics, and is a Fellow … Continue reading Evidence-Based Examination and Treatment of the Pelvis (Continuing Education for PT’s)
Well, I knew it had to come eventually– the day I slipped and fell on ice, and landed on my butt. Blunt force to the SI joints, particularly if it’s asymmetric, is known to be a potential cause of injury. That’s because it can subject the ligaments to greater force than they can handle, stretching them out. A similar fall, I believe, is what caused … Continue reading Facing one of my worst fears: a potential reinjury
A reader asked me if I’d ever had prolotherapy yesterday, and since I’ve been meaning to write about it for a while, now seems like the right time to put this out there! What is prolotherapy? Prolotherapy is a relatively new form of treatment, meant to speed the healing of sprained ligaments. It involves an injection of special substances into the specific area you want … Continue reading What is Prolotherapy? (and why I didn’t end up having it).
Hey everyone, If you’re experiencing SI joint dysfunction, the pubic symphysis is another important joint to be aware of. The pubic symphysis is actually the third major joint that makes up what is often referred to as the pelvic ring, or pelvic circle. Everything is connected. Like the SI joints, the pubic symphysis isn’t intended to move very much. In fact, it’s one of those … Continue reading The Pubic Symphysis: the joint at the front of the pelvis
Here is a really important concept about the SI joint: How is an SI joint supposed to stay in place? The body has 2 main systems to maintain stability in the SI joint: Form closure and force closure. 1) Form closure has to do with the shape of the bones that make up the SI joint (the two hip bones and the sacrum). According to Physiopedia, “The sacrum and the … Continue reading SI Joint Concepts: Form Closure vs. Force Closure
Hip labral tears are a condition that can sometimes accompany sacroiliac joint dysfunction. The labrum is a ring of cartilage found within the hip socket. Its main purpose is to absorb shock, as well as to help make sure your leg bone fits snugly inside the hip socket. Cartilage is generally pretty tough, but sometimes it can become injured. There are many different potential causes, according … Continue reading Labral tears
Recently, I was watching this interview with SI joint surgeon Dr. Carter Beck (the same doctor I had mentioned in my previous post). The whole time I was watching, I kept thinking to myself, “Wow, that is a great point…. I really need to remember some of the things he is saying.” So… that means a blog post for you, covering some of his most … Continue reading Why do we know so little about the SI joint? (Amazing Interview with Dr. Carter Beck).
Honestly, as much as I have criticized chiropractors at times on here, I know I would have been completely lost when my SI joint first locked up back in 2011 if my chiropractor hadn’t been able to explain things to me. I’ve flat out never seen a physician that had anything truly helpful to say about the mechanics of this joint. I’ve seen one orthopedist … Continue reading Key Point #1: Identifying the problem
My Sacroiliac Joint Saga 