Sacroiliac joint is found in the lower spine region between the right and left iliac bones. The sacrum is located in this region which is triangular in shape and is made up of totally five vertebrae which do not make any movement. Rest of the bones in the spine is capable of making movement. Two iliac bones constitute the pelvic region and hence the sacroiliac joints are the joint that connects the spine with the pelvis. The sacrum together with the iliac bones is fused by strong ligaments which make only minimal movements.
At the maximum the sacroiliac joint will make 4 degrees of rotation in the joint portion. These movements occur in the hips region or in the lumbar spine. The entire weight of your torso is supported by sacroiliac joint and hence they undergo huge stress making it prone to wear and tear. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is called by different names like SI joint syndrome, SI joint inflammation and SI joint strain. The nomenclature is obtained from the causative factor that is responsible for joint dysfunction and pain.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction Causes :
Like many other joints in the body, the sacroiliac joint is made up of several ligaments and cartilages which act as a cushion. Due to stress and wear and tear the cartilage gets damaged and become torn. This would eventually cause the bone to rub against one another causing osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis. Pregnancy can cause SI joint dysfunction. At the time of pregnancy several hormones will make the ligaments that surround the SI joint to relax. Due to relaxation the SI joints will make strong movements causing tear of ligaments.
This would cause SI joint dysfunction. Also when a woman becomes pregnant additional weight and pressure is exerted on the hip bone causing more stress to the SI joint. This would make the sacroiliac joint weaker causing more pain.