Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction

Pain in the back of the hip area, usually one sided

The sacrum is the central bone of the pelvis at the base of the spine.  It is joined on either side by the innominate bones which form the large sacroiliac joints at the belt line level of the back about 3 cm either side of the mid-line.  These bones also meet each-other at the front of the pelvis, forming the pubic joint – which can also be painful in this type of problem.  A nasty variant of this problem is the inflammatory sacroiliitis which often requires medication to get over.

Dysfunction relates to a twist or instability in these bones that causes irritation and pain in the joints.  Treatment often uses long lever manipulation techniques to try and de-rotate the innominate, as well as advice on stretching and strengthening to try and consolidate this corrective effort.