Back Pain Glossary » Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction and Back Pain

Dysfunction in the sacroiliac joint is thought to cause lower back pain.  This pain is also accompanied by shooting pains in the leg. The symptoms mimic other common conditions, such as disc herniation and sciatic pain (pain along the sciatic nerve that radiates down the leg). A diagnosis is usually arrived at through physical examination and cat scans.

The sacroiliac joint lies next to the spine and connects the sacrum (the triangular bone at the bottom of the spine) with the pelvis (called the iliac crest).

In physical examination, the doctor may try to determine if the sacroiliac joint is the cause of pain by moving of the joint. If the movement recreates the patient pain, and no other cause of pain has been found then degeneration of the sacroiliac joint may be the culprit. There are several orthopedic tests that can be used in attempt to positively identify the symptoms associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

This condition is generally more common in young and middle age women.