The sacroiliac joint (SI joint) is the joint bridging the lowest segment of the spinal column (sacrum) to the bones of the pelvis. These joints support the upper body when we are standing. After time, the SI joint can develop arthritis and become painful, particularly when walking and climbing stairs.
Pain originating in the sacroiliac joint is generally in the lower back, buttocks and thighs. The most common symptom of sacroiliac joint disorders is pain in the lower back, buttock and sometimes in the same side leg. This can present as sciatica like symptoms (leg pain, burning, numbness, and tingling) that mimic lumbar disc or radicular low back pain, pain that radiates down into the legs. Most frequently it radiates to the buttock and thigh.
Treatment may involve physical therapy and SI joint injections to manage the pain. For patients who are no longer responding to conservative care, an SI joint fusion may be suggested as a minimally invasive surgical option.
