Conservative Management for Patients with Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Abstract

Conditions involving one or both sacroiliac joints (SIJs) are often referred to as sacroiliac joint pain (SIJP), sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD), or pelvic girdle pain (PGP). SIJP is defined as pain arising from intra-articular structures such as the anterior sacroiliac ligament, posterior sacroiliac ligament, interosseous ligaments, and articular cartilage in the SIJ. SIJD is a state of altered mechanics, either an increase or decrease from the expected normal or the presence of an aberrant motion.1 It includes pain arising from extra-articular structures that surround the SIJs such as the sacrotuberous, sacrospinous, and/or iliolumbar ligaments. Lastly, PGP is pain experienced between the posterior iliac crest and the gluteal fold, particularly in the vicinity of the SIJs.2 SIJP and SIJD are therefore considered subgroups of PGP. 2