The sacroiliac joints are a common area of instability, particularly when back pain has existed for a long period of time.
The reason for this is that there are two primary mechanisms involved in the stability of these joints.
When both are addressed appropriately, pain relief can be brought about.
The two mechanisms include: Form closure Form closure refers to the stability that is created in the joints simply due to their structural design.
Force closure Force closure refers to the stability that is created to the joints by the muscular system and the ligaments which surround them.
Most top expert agree that only 1-3 millimeters of movement actually occurs in the sacroiliac joints, however, this small amount of movement is critical to normal function.
When the movement is compromised, as it is during fixations, or through degeneration of the joints during the aging process, pain can develop.
This pain is not likely to be influenced greatly with general therapeutic approaches.
Specific interventions to the dysfunctional sacroiliac joint must be utilized.
This may include manual or self mobilizations, or even chiropractic adjustments.
The muscular components of SI joint problems cannot be overlooked.
No direct muscles act to move the joints alone, however, the function of the muscles surrounding the joints are critical to the health of them.
Faulty movement patterns and muscle imbalances contribute to allowing excess forces to stress the SI joints, rather than effectively transferring forces to the lower body.
Dealing with these two areas thoroughly will allow normalization of sacroiliac joint function and give you freedom from pain.