Lower back - Sacroiliac Joint

[NIguy]

OK, so for the past few weeks/months I have been suffering from pain in my lower back. I am fairly certain that it is emanating from the Sacroiliac Joint rather than any issue with the spinal discs as the pain is located to the right and left side of the spine.

The problem is that this has been seriously preventing me from squatting (not front squats), rowing and deadlifting any serious weight which obviously is drastically slowing down my progress - all I want to do is train. I think I injuried it doing deadlifts trying to pull a weight that my muscles can quite easily handle but my ligaments and joints cannot - deadlifts are an exercise that I have for the most part neglected yet the muscles involved in the lift are pretty strong from squats, barbells rows and lots of hamstring work.

Currently I am stretching the area and performing light weights in an attempt to actively recover the area. This is something which has worked in the past for other injuries but it doesn't seem to working as I would expect. Anytime I try to go heavy when the pain numbs it will return with avengance.

Anyone got any advice/experience with this issue.
Thanks in advance.

[Blitzy]

I've been suffering from lower back pain for about a month and a half now and I seem to be in the same situation as you. I kept lifting for a bit but DL, rows, and squats were too painful. I've completely stopped doing anything for about 3 weeks and it's definitely felt much better, although I'm going crazy from boredom and feeling like a bum.

I haven't had a chance to see a doctor until this week due to college but he said it doesn't seem to be a disc issue. After reading your post and looking into it, these symptoms seem closer to what I felt. I just got x-rays taken yesterday and I'm waiting to hear back with a more comprehensive diagnosis.

[NIguy]

I've been suffering from lower back pain for about a month and a half now and I seem to be in the same situation as you. I kept lifting for a bit but DL, rows, and squats were too painful. I've completely stopped doing anything for about 3 weeks and it's definitely felt much better, although I'm going crazy from boredom and feeling like a bum.

I haven't had a chance to see a doctor until this week due to college but he said it doesn't seem to be a disc issue. After reading your post and looking into it, these symptoms seem closer to what I felt. I just got x-rays taken yesterday and I'm waiting to hear back with a more comprehensive diagnosis.

I posted this same question on another forum and I got some good replies, these might help you out

JoabSonOfZeruiah wrote;
Pain in spinal extension or flexion? Posterior, anterior pelvic tilt issues?

Levelheaded wrote;
^ This.

Also, when you say you are trying to stretch the area, do you mean stretch your low back? I would assume that since front squats do not bother you but back squats do, that you most likely have pain in spinal flexion. As with most people too, you probably have an anterior pelvic tilt as well. Have you been assessed for either of these?

NIguy wrote;
The pain comes from spinal flexion, back squatting can hurt because I have to lean further forward t keep the bar over my feet and it can cause the lower back to round more at the bottom.

I actually did have some problems with anterior pelvic title this time last year and I invested much time trying to remedy that because I looked like a bloated mess - I did a lot of ab work and dropped squats for roughly 4-6 months. It is better but not resolved.

Exercises that I have been doing are hyperextenions, but if anterior tilt is a contributing factor should I drop this? I have also been lifting sand bags from the ground in a similar manner as a strongman would lift stones, this requires spinal flexion but it feels good and allows me to work the area in question with no ill effects. And I have been doing stretches like this (exrx.net/StretchImages/Tests/SitReachSpinalFlexion.jpg) which can be quite painful.

Appreciate you help guys


Levelheaded wrote;
Solely strengthening abdominals will not assist with an anterior pelvic tilt (APT). Majority of the time, APT is associated with tight hip flexors and inactive hip extensors, mainly glutes. I would strongly recommend spending time static stretching your hip flexors, activating your glutes, and adding mobility drills specifically addressing hip flexors and hip ROM in general.

How are you strengthening your abdominals as well? If you are doing sit ups, V-ups, leg lifts, etc, you are only adding to the hip flexor problem by continuing to over activate the hip flexors. To address abdominals, I would work on core planks (front and side), anti-rotation drills, etc.

Hyperextensions are not going to negatively effect to APT, but I personally am not an advocate of putting the lumbar spine into excessive hyperextension either. And I personally would stop the stretch you showed. The lumbar spine is an area you want stability, not mobility. So by stretching the lumbar spine area, you are going to add to the problem.


NIguy wrote
For abs I did planks, abs rollouts etc but definetly put a greater focas on situps which I will halt for the moment and instead do planks in the meantime. I'll also drop the stretch I posted and instead on trying to make my hips more mobile which will hopefully ease the strain on the lumbar region.

My glutes and hamstings are pretty strong but you are right in that I do have a problem recruiting my hamstrings even on exercises like stiff legged deadlifts and good morning so perhaps that is something to work on.

Thanks for the help, I'll let you know how it goes.


Appreciate you help guys

One last thing, the X-ray might not see anything, the reason being is that the Sacroiliac Joint although being part of the lower back (it actually the connecting point between the back and the hips) for the most part is not considered to be a serious injury in the same way as a slipped disc is.

The Sacroiliac Joint connects to the ilium (the upper pelvic bone - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ram.png/800px-) and the sacrum (which is not a vertebra - http://gorillacrouch.com/pics/sacrum). So in essence it is an the injury of the ligaments and cartilidge which are either damaged or moving more than they should causing damage and pain in the area. The problem as far as I can grasp it is caused by lack of mobility in the hips, and a lack of stability at the sacroiliac joint. What this means is that you should be working hip mobility, stretching that region in an attempt to increase flexibility, but NOT stretching or trying to increase the flexibility of the lower back.

[Blitzy]

Thanks for the info man. I'll have to stop doing lower back stretches and focus on my hip flexibility.

[try_harder]

I damaged my SI joint snowboarding a few years back, allowing it to develop some unwanted pelvic rotation on occasion. Over time if untreated, the stress on that particular joint will develop into 'Osteitis condensans ilii' ... something which my doctors were rather amused to see. Normally guys don't see stresses across the SI: its more commonly associated with Pregnancy. ROFL.

HOWEVER, pelvic rotation is pretty easy to fix in the short-term. A 15 minute chiropractor visit will remove the rotation, allowing you to strengthen the muscles needed to prevent it from rotating again.

also, there ARE some stretches you can do to help with that rotation.
Lay on your back, grab your knee and pull it towards you while using your leg muscles to provide resistance... this can help rotate it in small amounts... Occasionally I can get it to move right back into place (a small click can be heard. bleh) If its really sore, Anti-inflammatories can help loosen it up enough to move it back into place.