Sacroiliac Joint – Inhibited Muscle Series
Muscle activation is steadily growing in the US, but many people are still unfamiliar with it. In this series we discuss why muscle inhibition can be the reason for many common musculoskeletal ailments, and in turn, how muscle activation could rapidly turn those ailments around.
One of our followers on Instagram requested this topic and I immediately wanted to start writing about it! The sacroiliac joint is central to motion and stability in the lower body. Stress and lack of motion in this joint can cause a wide range of issues, making it a complex area to treat. This also makes it a great candidate for muscle activation! Read on about this unique and crucial joint:
What is the Sacroiliac Joint?
The sacroiliac joint or SI joint acts like a keystone to the pelvis, connecting the sacrum (the fused, triangular bone at the bottom of the spine) to both ilia (the large hip bones).
The SI joint transmits the weight of the upper body to the legs and allows movement in the pelvis during activities such as walking and running. Many important nerves also pass through the sacrum. When the SI joint is dysfunctional or injured, it can cause significant pain and discomfort.
Why is the SI joint more complex to treat than other joints?
Several factors make the SI joint unique and complex to treat:
- Each person has a uniquely shaped SI joint! Some are C-shaped, others Z- or S-shaped. The joint solidifies when a baby learns to crawl and walk, so their motor pattern makes one-of-a-kind grooves in their SI joint.
- The SI joint is structured differently than most other joints in the body. For example in the arm, the biceps pass over the elbow joint, with one end of the muscle attached to the humerus and the other end attached to the radius. In the sacroiliac region, no muscle passes over the SI joint attaching one end to the sacrum and the other to the ilia. This allows the SI joint to act as a true keystone and support the pelvis and spine while still flexing with forces from the left or right.
- A LOT of muscles impact the SI joint. Over 35 muscles in the low back, abdomen, glutes, hips, and even pelvic floor connect to the pelvis and sacrum. (Pelvic floor muscles can be inhibited too!) Moving any of these muscles causes indirect motion in the SI joint. Most other joints are impacted by far fewer muscles.
Between each person’s uniquely shaped SI joint, the atypical joint design, and the myriad of muscles affecting SI joint motion, piecing together the best solution for SI joint dysfunction can be tricky.
How can I tell if my pain is from the SI Joint?
Since those 35+ muscles connect the sacroiliac region to many points in the lower body, it may be difficult to tell at first whether your pain is SI joint or not. An exam with a healthcare provider may help you to identify the source of the pain.
SI joint symptoms may include:
- Pain. The pain is usually felt on one side of the lower back or buttock and can sometimes radiate down the leg, though rarely passes the knee.
- Stiffness. The SI joint can become stiff, making it difficult to move the hips or pelvis.
Causes of SI joint dysfunction may include one or more of the following:
- A history of trauma or injury. A sudden impact or injury to the lower back, such as a car accident or fall.
- Pregnancy. During pregnancy, the ligaments around the SI joint become stretched and weakened.
- Leg length discrepancy. When one leg is longer than the other, it can cause uneven weight distribution in the pelvis.
- Tilted pelvis/rotated hip. Rotation of the pelvis can add pressure on one side of the SI joint while pulling on the other.
If you’re unsure whether you have SI joint dysfunction, Dr. Stewart can conduct orthopedic tests to help determine whether the SI joint is a likely contributor to your pain.
Why would inhibited muscles contribute to SI Joint issues?
The brain inhibits by instructing specific muscles to reduce their share of the work (typically due to injury or stress.) The body shifts the workload to your fully functioning muscles to compensate, which over time may lead to specific patterns of rapid fatigue, overexertion, pain, or even increased risk of injury.
As mentioned earlier, the SI joint transfers forces between the upper and lower body. These forces can be powerful, and if all the muscles contributing to this complex system are not functioning optimally, it can lead to stress, inflammation, and even calcification of the SI joint.
Many major muscle groups stabilize and strengthen this area, including those in the:
- Low back
- Abdomen
- Glutes
- Pelvic Floor
- Hips/Hip flexors
Like I said, major players! If even a few of the muscles in any of these heavy hitting groups aren’t functioning at full strength, it’s no surprise that the SI joint gets overwhelmed.
Example: An inhibited low back muscle may tighten and refuse to relax, causing the pelvis to tip forward. Over time, this excess forward stress on the SI joint could cause pain and reduced mobility. When the SI joint is less mobile, it alters the body’s biomechanics and leads to imbalance and overworked muscles, especially in the lower body.
So what can be done?
How can muscle activation with New Leaf House Call Chiropractic help with SI Joint issues?
For the initial exam, Dr. Stewart reviews your intake paperwork and health history with you then checks your joints and your muscles. To aid diagnosis of potential SI joint issues, he will check for joint motion, pain, and conduct orthopedic tests. Then, the muscle test indicates which of your muscles are firing at less than full strength.
Looking at the overall picture of “off” and “on” muscles, Dr. Stewart assesses your motor pattern and symptoms as a whole. This helps determine which inhibited muscles should be activated first and which joints may need adjustments to provide you with the best results.
Once your muscles are activated, he will also teach you specific rehab exercises per muscle area, strengthening the neural pathways of your new and improved motor pattern. Muscles that have been inhibited for some time may feel stiff, crunchy, or knotted. Dr. Stewart offers soft tissue therapies such as cupping or scraping to break up adhesions, or in some circumstances may refer you to an LMT for a therapeutic massage.
Once your inhibited muscles are again functioning optimally, your body can return to a stable biomechanic pattern, maintain better balance, and reduce stress or rotation on the SI joint. For most patients, once your muscles are activated, they do not need to be reactivated again unless they experience overtraining or another trauma. This can bring long-lasting relief!
Summary (TL;DR)
The sacroiliac joint is the keystone of the lower body. Symptoms in this area can be debilitating, and the treatment complex! Our muscle exam helps determine whether inhibited muscles may be behind your SI joint issues. Muscle activation plus chiropractic treatment can be highly effective in reducing pain, improving function, and preventing future injuries to the SI joint.
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