The Sacroiliac joint

The sacroiliac joint is an incredibly important part of the spine. The sacroiliac joint is at the heart of the pelvis and the pelvis is the foundations of the spine. Everything else sits on top of the pelvis. If there are problems in the pelvis it can cause an immense amount of problems throughout the whole body, from the tip of your nose to the end of your toes!

If the foundations of the house were out by a small amount by the time you get to the chimney pot that small amount becomes a much bigger problem.

There are 2 sacroiliac joints in the pelvis, they are made up of the ilium bone 'hip bone' and the sacrum 'the tail bone'. The three bones together form the sacroiliac joint (sacrum-ilium joints).

Now the sacroiliac joints are quite unique compared to most other joint in the body. With most joints in the body the articulating surfaces are smooth, but in the the sacroiliac joint the surfaces are dotted with irregular elevations and depressions that produce two interlocking bones that are able to support the weight of the body. These irregularities in the sacroiliac joints are usually symmetrical, but vary from person to person just like a finger print.

So the sacroiliac joint is a very stable structure, a good foundation to build the rest of the spine on, but its much more sophisticated than just a solid lump of bone. The sacroiliac also has some MOVEMENT, the research on this varies but somewhere in the region of 2-8mm of movement can occur. This movement that occurs in the pelvis is fantastic, it gives us some wiggle (think Marilyn Monroe) and this wiggle provides us with some elasticity/shock absorbing qualities to protect the rest of the spine from bumps and knocks.

Imagine a car with a flat tyre or worse still one of the wheels just isn't turning - that car isn't going to drive correctly if at all. Problems in the pelvis can feel exactly the same, movement can become difficult and extremely painful. Fortunately it is something that is often correctable!!!! If you think you are suffering with a sacroiliac joint problem, then please do contact you nearest chiropractor, chiropractors specialise in assessing the bio-mechanics of the spine and will be able to advise you appropriately!