As a chiropractor in the fit and busy Denver metro, our chiropractic clinic gets calls from many patients around the area with “hip” complaints. The term hip is in quotations because there is another joint in the pelvis that commonly gets referred to as the “hip”. The usual suspect is the sacroiliac joint or SI joint. There are two SI joints on both sides of the tailbone. It is the joint that connects the sacrum and the ilium bones and lies underneath the gluteal muscles. The sacroiliac joint is surrounded a number of very strong ligaments and for good reason. One of the functions of the SI joints is shock absorption of the spine. These joints support all the weight from the spine and transfers that weight to both legs of the individual.
Typical symptoms include lower back pain near the buttocks and pain radiating or traveling into the buttocks or thigh. Typical causes include lifting objects with or without rotation, sports activities, running, sitting and standing. I’ve talked with many cyclists, runners, and even desk workers around Wheat Ridge and Lakewood that experience this pain. Pregnant women also have many different pains, including SI joint pain in some cases due to the hormone Relaxin. This hormone makes the strong ligaments of the pelvis relax and become loose. This is beneficial for the birth process but can produce many aches and back pain during the pregnancy.
Non-pregnancy related SI joint pain can occur due to inflammation, joint surface pain from increased pressure, or sprains of the ligaments. This condition often mimics sciatica pain which people are generally more familiar with. That is why it is important a doctor of chiropractic do a thorough and comprehensive exam in order to find the true underlying issue with the patient’s pain. If you have experienced low back, pelvic, or gluteal pains, call our clinic today to schedule your consultation and exam with Dr. Williams to see if chiropractic is a good fit for you.