Correcting Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction, Part 1
By
Sam Visnic
The sacroiliac joints (SI) are a common source of lower back problems for a wide
range of people including housewives, professional athletes, and elite
lifters. The SI joints don’t discriminate.
Fixing imbalances in this region is a real pain in the butt sometimes (pun
intended). There are two areas that we need to be aware of when dealing with SI
joint dysfunction:
- The health of the actual joints: The SI joints are made up
mostly of ligamentous tissues. They move very little (many experts
agree somewhere between 1–3 degrees). This amount of movement is relatively
undetectable by most diagnostic means, which is why many doctors dismiss the
sacroiliac joints as being a source of pain.
This small amount of motion coupled with the joint’s irregular joint
surfaces provide significant strength to the area for transmitting forces
from the spinal column through the lower limbs. The stability of the joint
through its structure is referred to as “form closure.” As we age, these
joints can develop fibrous adhesions, degenerate, and sometimes even fuse.
This can obviously lead to significant alternations in force transfer and
pelvic function in the aging athlete.
- Muscular stabilization of the joints: There are actually no
muscles that move the sacroiliac joints. However, function of the pelvis as
a whole is dependent on the large powerful muscles by which it is surrounded
as well as the intrinsic stabilizers beneath.
With this, it becomes obvious that muscular balance must be present in order
to adequately support SI joint health. This muscular support along with the
ligamentous support of the joints is referred to as “force closure.”
Muscular contributions to pelvic stabilization
There are 36 muscles that surround the limbo-pelvic-hip complex, and every one
of them has an important role in stability of the region. These muscles operate
in “slings,” which refers to the organization of muscles that work together.
It’s important to be aware of two major systems—the inner unit and the outer
unit.
The inner unit includes the muscles of the pelvic floor, the transverse
abdominus, the diaphragm, and the multifidus. These deep stabilizer muscles
provide intersegmental spinal stability as well as support in the internal
organs and the respiratory systems. The outer unit includes the lats, glutes,
erector spinae, hamstring, obliques, adductors, quads, and hip flexors.
The complexity of dealing with this area and the degree of precision necessary
for optimizing function should be quite obvious. Any imbalances in the muscular
slings may contribute to pain or muscle inhibition, which decreases neural drive
and thus power output and performance.
In the next part of this series, we will explore the criteria for deciphering
imbalances and corrective protocols for getting things back in order.
Sam Visnic is a neuromuscular therapist and nutrition coach who specializes
in providing safe and effective corrective exercise solutions for back pain
sufferers. He is the developer of the “End Your Back Pain Now!” system, and his
practice, Serrano Family Practice, is located in Pickerington, Ohio. For his
content loaded blog on back pain relief, visit
http://www.endyourbackpainnow.com/blog.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
