How To Keep Sacroiliac Joint Problems at Bay

The sacroiliac joints are a frequent cause of pain for many people, but for women especially. The trick to keeping them in check and pain free lies in understanding the components of sacroiliac joint stability, and when its appropriate to strengthen the area.

The sacroiliac joints are comprised of ligamentous tissue. These tissues are very dense and built to withstand the forces that move from the upper body to the lower. The problem comes, however, when muscular imbalances are present which alter normal movement. At this point, forces are no longer dissipated throughout many structures, but instead may be focused upon the sacroiliac joints. In this scenario, the joints may become strained, or even subluxed, which can create a tremendous amount of discomfort.

When the sacroiliac joints are "out" of alignment, the muscles around the area will frequently be locked up. This makes it very difficult to perform corrective exercises or stretching due to the pain. The more useful approach in this situation is to mobilize the joints with either special SI joint mobilizations, or visiting a good manual therapist or even chiropractor.

Once the joints at set, pain relief can be VERY fast. It is not uncommon for a patient to go from a 7 or an 8 on a pain scale of 10 to go down to a 2 or a 3 after an appropriate adjustment or mobilization.

After the normalization of pelvic alignment, exercises and stretches must be assigned to specifically address the muscle imbalances that caused the sacroiliac joint dysfunction in the first place.

Getting a Great Psoas Stretch

The psoas, in case you aren't aware, is a key muscle in the lower back pain equation. More often than not, its frequently tight and overworked.

Getting a good psoas stretch is necessary in order to get its opposing muscle, the glutes (your butt muscles) to activate.

The key to doing this lies in performing a posterior pelvic tilt. When you split your stance so that one leg is quite a bit behind your body, then squeeze your butt muscles, and bring the front of your pelvis up toward your chest, you'll feel the psoas stretch very strongly.

Hold for 20-30 seconds, for 1-3 reps on each side.

Sam Visnic--

What is the Best Option For Lower Back Treatment?

Low back pain treatments these days are a dime a dozen. With so many of them out there, why are there so many people in pain?

Well, frankly, because resolving back pain isn't always as simple as just getting your back "cracked" or taking a few pills or supplements. It involves addressing some of the most fundamental aspects of health. The best lower back pain treatment will address all these factors.

The key factors include:

1. Movement: Correcting muscle imbalances is essential for getting the body in alignment and reducing muscle strain.

2. Nutrition: Reducing inflammation means stopping it at the starting point, which is the moment it hits your lips! Eating right is one of the best weapons against lower back pain.

3. Lifestyle and stress reduction: There are 24 hours in every day in which we are being bombarded by stressors of all types. Without addressing these stressors, we don't have a chance of eradicating back pain.

Sam Visnic--