Is Your SI Joint Giving You Back Pain?
If you stand up from your chair and feel a pain in your lower back, it could be your SI joint acting up. Don't let it get the best of you! Take charge with a treatment plan that brings relief.
Its full name is the sacroiliac joint. There are two of them in your lower back, and they sit on each side of your spine. Their main job is to carry the weight of your upper body when you stand or walk and shift that load to your legs.
It could be a dull or sharp. It starts at your SI joint, but it can move to your buttocks, thighs, groin, or upper back.
Sometimes standing up triggers the pain, and a lot of times you feel it only on one side of your lower back. You may notice that it bothers you more in the morning and gets better during the day.
It's more common than you might think. About 15%-30% of people who hurt like this have a problem with the SI joint.
The pain starts when your SI joint gets inflamed. There are several reasons it could happen. You could hurt it when you play sports or if you fall down. You might also get this problem from an activity that gives the area a regular pounding, like jogging.
Do you take uneven strides when you walk because one of your legs is longer than the other? That could be a cause of SI joint pain.
Sometimes you start hurting when the ligaments that hold your SI joint together get loose, which makes it move around too much.
Arthritis can lead to the problem. A type that affects your spine, called ankylosing spondylitis, can cause pain. You'll also hurt when the cartilage over the SI joint slowly wears away as you age.
SI joint pain may also start if you're pregnant. Your body releases hormones that cause your joints to loosen up and move more, which leads to extra wear and tear.
What Is the SI Joint?
Its full name is the sacroiliac joint. There are two of them in your lower back, and they sit on each side of your spine. Their main job is to carry the weight of your upper body when you stand or walk and shift that load to your legs.
What Does the Pain Feel Like?
It could be a dull or sharp. It starts at your SI joint, but it can move to your buttocks, thighs, groin, or upper back.
Sometimes standing up triggers the pain, and a lot of times you feel it only on one side of your lower back. You may notice that it bothers you more in the morning and gets better during the day.
It's more common than you might think. About 15%-30% of people who hurt like this have a problem with the SI joint.
Why Is This Happening?
The pain starts when your SI joint gets inflamed. There are several reasons it could happen. You could hurt it when you play sports or if you fall down. You might also get this problem from an activity that gives the area a regular pounding, like jogging.
Do you take uneven strides when you walk because one of your legs is longer than the other? That could be a cause of SI joint pain.
Sometimes you start hurting when the ligaments that hold your SI joint together get loose, which makes it move around too much.
Arthritis can lead to the problem. A type that affects your spine, called ankylosing spondylitis, can cause pain. You'll also hurt when the cartilage over the SI joint slowly wears away as you age.
SI joint pain may also start if you're pregnant. Your body releases hormones that cause your joints to loosen up and move more, which leads to extra wear and tear.
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