Stopping Sacro-Iliac Pain to Make Movement Easy Again


This article is about sacroiliac joint pain (also called, sacral torsion, S-I joint sprain or strain, sacroileitis, "twisted (or turned) sacrum" or just S.I.J.D.)  

It covers:

  • symptoms of sacroiliac joint dysfunction

  • what causes sacroiliac joint dysfunction (Look at your own history of injury.)

  • treatment options clearly explained, so you can act based upon sensible understanding, rather than blind trust (or blind skepticism)

  • a clickable link to the approach used in clinical somatic education to correct the problem scroll to the bottom )
You can read a more technical article, here.
You'll find corroboration of the information, here,
in this article published in Wikipedia.

If You Have a Turned Sacrum

If you find yourself with symptoms of a turned sacrum, you likely have a multitude of symptoms that extends far beyond pain at your S-I (sacro-iliac) joint (located just below the waistline in back and to one side). 

Symptoms may  mysteriously appear almost anywhere in the body, together in clusters (labeled, "a syndrome"), triggering muscular contractions and pain whenever you do movements as simple as turning over, in bed, or putting socks on.  The pain may be relentless and intense -- and persistent, despite treatment.  

If you have a turned sacrum, these symptoms have likely proven unresponsive to conventional therapeutic techniques and even opioid medication, leaving surgery as a potential recommendation.

Although certain symptoms may exhibit occasional or temporary improvement, pain remains a constant presence, rendering you unable to perform essential tasks.  For many, it becomes a life-altering crisis.  Has that been your experience?

About This Article

In this explanatory article, we will demystify the root cause of the symptoms and present you with a way to get relief that lasts.

The approach I will present is completely different from the conventional therapeutics offered by doctors, physical therapists, and surgeons -- and even most movement educators.

Instead of manipulating the sacrum, fusing the S-I joints, or masking pain through electrical (T.E.N.S. or nerve ablation), mechanical (S-I belt) or chemical means (drugs), we induce a self-corrective process of the body that causes the pelvis to resume its symmetrical shape with the sacrum centered (rather than torqued or offset) between the ilium (hip) bones of the pelvis.

How do we do that?  In principle, it's simple.  Bones go where muscles and weight-bearing forces pull them.  So, we retrain the neuro-muscular system so that the muscular pulls of the two sides of the body balance and coordinate in a healthy, symmetrical pattern.  Accordingly, the bones attached to those muscles migrate to symmetrical positions on the right and left sides of the body and to balanced positions, front and back.  As that happens, pain decreases and easy movement returns.

The approach is quite reliable and capable of making your memory of S-I Joint Dysfunction a thing of the past.

Although it does take time for complete resolution to occur, feel-able improvements start nearly immediately.  Imagine imagining discovering that some of your pain has faded by the end of the practice session.

While this entry provides a comprehensive and descriptive account, rest assured that you need not understand everything here to attain relief.  You need not even read the entire piece.

All you need is to understand enough from this article -- or to feel that the approach makes enough sense -- to be willing to test it.  The action patterns are gentle and safe to do, as you'll find out.  

You'll find a link to Unit 1 of the program in this article -- yours at no charge.  Don't just read it; use it.

Here's a link to Unit 1 of the self-relief program -- free.  You can get started, immediately.  Personal attention mentoring, if you need it, is available.

Read this article, if . . . 

  • You have found the information provided by health professionals to be "thin soup"answers (such as, "You'll just have to live, with it.") that don't increase your optimism, much.

  • You have tried therapies and/or surgery and are still in pain.

  • You are willing to consider a different approach and to take the time and to do the work.  Yes, it's work -- work that leaves you feeling better, then and there.

The Article:

A Simple Explanation of Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome (Dysfunction)

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't really understand it."
Richard P. Feynman



Sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD) involves the bones in the pelvis, of which your sacrum is the central bone, being misaligned.  See the illustrations, at left.

This misalignment triggers tension in muscles throughout the body and strain in the ligaments that unite the bones of your pelvis.  

Misalignment means that your pelvis is asymmetrical -- commonly with one hip higher and more forward than the other.  The symptoms are signs of your body's attempt to prevent the shape of your pelvis from getting worse, through muscular contractions and pain throughout the body that restrain movement.

The somatic approach offered, here, makes the body's attempt to stop getting worse successful by restoring symmetry.  It works with the body, rather than on the body.

SYMPTOMS OF S-I JOINT PAIN SYNDROME

Among the various manifestations of SIJD, the most prevalent are pain localized at the sacroiliac joint (situated at the level of the waistline, at the back, two to three inches to one side) and discomfort in the groin area; there are many other common symptoms. To provide you with a concise overview, I have compiled a brief list of frequently encountered symptoms below, plus a link to a more extensive list.

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Following are the most common symptoms of sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
    • pain at the groin and waistline, in back, same side - in combination
    • pain around the top rim of the pelvis
    • deep buttock pain, one side
    • reduced ability either to bend forward, to stand up straight, to turn over, in bed.

    On that page, I list and explain more symptoms grouped by:
    • SENSATIONS

    • SKELETAL ALIGNMENT CHANGES

    • MUSCLE/MOVEMENT MEMORY CHANGES

    • EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS
    If you happen to experience two or more of the symptoms, it's likely that you are experiencing sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

    However, one or two symptoms alone don't provide a conclusive assessment. It's worth noting that various conditions can manifest similar symptoms.  

    To ascertain, with certainty, whether or not you have SIJD, there's a definitive test:  manual examination of your sacroiliac joints -- something that you can do, for yourself, by following the step-by-step instructions provided in the video titled "SELF-ASSESSMENT OF SACRAL POSITION", placed conveniently just below. 

    Through this self-assessment, you'll be able to discern any differences of position between the two S-I joints (left and right), using your fingers to perceive the variation.  The video tells you how.

    Even a one-millimeter difference in the positions of your S-I joints (which you can detect during the self-check) is sufficient to trigger intense symptoms.

    May I encourage you to do the self-check, right away — right now.  You may save yourself some "reading time." 

    If you discover that one S-I joint is deeper-in than the other, you've uncovered the cause of your pain:  a turned sacrum and strain in your pelvis.

    The Self-Check

    Watch the video.  Follow the instructions, exactly. 

    The self-examination involves feeling, with your hands, for the "dimples" where your S-I joints are (explained in the video segment). Pay close attention to the spoken instructions so you know what you're feeling for. Don't guess. Either you feel it, or you don't.  If you can feel the "dimples" and they're at the same depth relative to the bony ridges next to them, you don't have Sacro-Iliac Joint Dysfunction.


    SELF-ASSESSMENT OF SACRAL POSITION

    https://youtu.be/5zB1T6fYPLA


    If they're at different depths ... you have this program for lasting relief.

    If you can't tell, from self-examination, you may visit a chiropractor or osteopath to get a diagnosis and to get taught  how to examine yourself.  Say what you're there for, up front.

    If he or she says you have a turned or displaced sacrum, ask to be taught how to examine yourself, as you'll need to do that regularly, if you do this program.

    If neither side of your S-I joint appears deeper during the self-assessment, it is possible that your symptoms stem from other injuries.

    That's good news, as resolving other kinds of injuries tends to be much simpler than addressing the complexities of S-I Joint Dysfunction (SIJD).

    If your sacrum isn't the problem, v
    isit the Consultation page to get a free Functional Assessment form. Complete it and return it by email for a guaranteed recommendation of the program you need.


    Now that you are aware of the issue, you can focus on what you truly need — a way to restore the proper position of your sacrum that will definitively resolve your symptoms.  The results will be obvious.

    It's important to note that the side experiencing pain is typically the non-jammed side, contrary to what one might expect -- so accept the finding of your self-examination rather than doubting that you did it right.

    WHY SYMPTOMS may be UNRECOGNIZED as coming from S-I JOINT DYSFUNCTION

    Do you know why symptoms of sacroiliac joint dysfunction can manifest in locations that seem unrelated to the sacrum or S-I joints?  It's quite fascinating. 

    These symptoms arise due to the intricate involvement of both the nervous and muscular systems, going beyond the simple mechanical relationships among the pelvic bones.  The page listing symptoms explains.

    Now, if you've endured lengthy therapy for your pain but gotten too little relief, or if the relief was only temporary (a common situation), it's a clear sign that: 

    1. Either the treatment you received wasn't relevant, or 
    2. the kind of approach taken to address your turned sacrum was simply ineffective. 

    It may be time to reassess your options and find a more effective solution.


    Causes of a Turned Sacrum

    THE SACRO-ILIAC (S-I) JOINT LIGAMENTS ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF S-I JOINT DYSFUNCTION, BUT THE VICTIM OF IT.

    This Mayo Clinic entry describes recognized causes of a turned sacrum.

    (quoted, below:)
    Sacroileitis — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment of inflammation of the sacroiliac joints. 
    ref: Overview - Sacroiliitis (alternate spelling) - Mayo Clinic

    Causes for sacroiliac joint dysfunction include:

    • Traumatic injury. A sudden impact, such as a motor vehicle accident or a fall, can damage your sacroiliac joints.
    • Arthritis. Wear-and-tear arthritis (osteoarthritis) can occur in sacroiliac joints, as can ankylosing spondylitis — a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine.
    • Pregnancy. The sacroiliac joints must loosen and stretch to accommodate childbirth. The added weight and altered gait during pregnancy can cause additional stress on these joints and can lead to abnormal wear.
    • Infection. In rare cases, the sacroiliac joint can become infected.

    Based on the experiences of my clients, injuries are usually the culprit behind sacroiliac joint dysfunction.  These injuries can take various forms, such as falls from bicycles, horses, rooftops, or during skating, as well as accidents involving motor vehicles.  

    One particular scenario that arises is when a person has one foot on the brake during a collision, causing the leg to be forcefully jammed into the hip on one side, causing the pelvis to distort.  This kind of sudden and impactful incident is often the main cause of sacroiliac joint dysfunction.


    Common Surgical Treatments to Clear Up S-I Joint Pain

    Two surgical measures used to stop S-I joint pain are Radio Frequency nerve Ablation and Sacro-Iliac Joint Fusion.

    Neither measure corrects the underlying problem, but, at best, reduces symptoms.
    • Nerve ablation ("RFA" - cooking the nerve endings) 
      lasts 9-12 months before the nerve regenerates -- making repetition necessary.
    • Sacro-Iliac Joint Fusion surgery alters movement and decreases mobility permanently. 


    Click the image, below, to read the article on
    S-I joint fusion surgery by Dr. Centeno.
    Click for this article by Dr. Centeno.



    • Skeletal Manipulation 

      Despite manipulation, bones go where muscles pull and hold them.  Because muscular tension gets triggered in many places in the body by a turned sacrum -- and commonly persist or return -- the effects of skeletal manipulation of the sacrum don't last.  You might end up "married" to your therapist.
    Two other approaches address the ligaments that bind the S-I joints -- and they're opposites to each other.
    • Massage:  Loosen the ligaments. 
    • Prolotherapy: Tighten the ligaments.

    These two approaches are attempts to tackle the same problem by opposite means.

    If ligament strain were truly the cause of sacroiliac joint dysfunction and effectively treated, wouldn't it be reasonable to expect permanent resolution when the strain was relieved by manipulation?  But that doesn't happen, except in the mildest of cases.

    Ligament strain, itself, is not the root cause, but rather the consequence of a turned sacrum. 

    A correct approach would address the actual cause. Lasting reduction of pain and increase of mobility would be the sign that an approach is the right one, don't you think?


    ACTIONABLE UNDERSTANDING

    Let's take a moment to appreciate what we understand, so far.

    We have understood 
    • how an injury can cause distortion in the pelvis, and how persistent muscular contractions, driven by the body's automatic self-protective mechanisms, have contributed to the problem.

    • that contrary to common belief, symptoms are not due to too-lax ligaments. Nor are they due to ligaments being too tight.  

    • that strain and laxity -- two common diagnoses -- are secondary effects of a turned sacrum, not causes.

    • that addressing ligaments alone will not correct the problem. 

    • that alleviating pain is a partial and temporary "fix"

    Instead, what we need to do is get the pelvis to regain its symmetry.  And that's where the approach I will outline next comes into play.


    What I Say Works

    The program offered, here, sets itself apart from others by using specific action patterns  -- done in slow motion and entirely within your (now limited) comfort zone -- to retrain the muscular and nervous systems.  

    With each practice session, you will feel the improvements taking place.  Each action pattern produces specific improvements described in its video introduction.

    To access these clear, easy-to-follow instructions, do the program available through links in this entry. 

    Rest assured, the instructions are gentle, safe, and presented at a comfortable pace. They do not inflict any pain or discomfort. 

    The promised results -- stopping the pain, restoring free movement, and saving you from the letdown of conventional therapeutic options you may already have experienced -- are within your reach.

    It's quite likely that you will experience the relief you seek in a fraction of the time you have already invested in unsuccessful therapy. That is my promise to you -- and to back it up, I offer a lifetime money-back guarantee (which has been invoked only a few times since this program became available in 2015).



    ADDENDUM

    Clinical Somatic Education to Correct Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction: The Role of Muscle/Movement Memory

    Notably, Clinical Somatic Education is free from adverse side effects, except for occasional, short-term soreness occasionally experienced immediately after a practice session, lasting for 1-2 hours.

    The correction of S-I Joint Dysfunction through clinical somatic education involves three stages:

    1. Unlocking the Situation: By reducing the tension levels in the involved muscles, we release the jammed S-I joint, enabling the re-patterning of forces that contribute to pelvic distortion.

    2. Reshaping Muscular Tension and Movement Patterns: Through consistent practice of movement patterns aligned with a healthy, symmetrical pelvis and optimal S-I joint function, we reshape and realign the musculature.

    3. Reinforcing Healthy Movement Patterns: Rather than focusing on strength alone, we develop integrated movement habits that reinforce balanced and free movement. These new habits become second nature and seamlessly integrate into daily life without requiring any special attention.

    By following this comprehensive approach, clinical somatic education provides a transformative solution to S-I Joint Dysfunction.


    Click on the image, above, to see entire comment.

    More on Hanna Somatic Education
    for Relief of S-I Joint Dysfunction

    Comforting Your S-I Joints | A RECIPE for RELIEF

    If you're accustomed to exercises or therapies that yield barely noticeable changes, let me state that somatic education exercises are far from that.

    The effects of these exercises become evident quite swiftly, typically within the first two practice sessions, and accumulate over time. You'll feel the difference in your movement, as the distressing symptoms of SIJD fade away.

    Rest assured, this self-renewal program has undergone thorough testing and has proven consistently reliable.

    The success stories the first adopters of this approach shared validated the efficacy of the program.

    I understand why someone might be afraid to take an alternate approach to clearing up the problem:  fear -- and I suspect that you may already have tried other approaches, to little avail. Those are good reasons to hesitate.


    What I can say is that people have gotten better -- completely or partially -- and no one has gotten worse, with this approach. 


    Everyone I have worked with, personally (I've been in practice since 1990), has been pleased with the results -- and I offer a lifetime satisfaction refund guarantee.

    THE PROGRAM

    Imagine the program, Comforting Your S-I Joints, as a meticulously crafted recipe for relief. Just like in cooking, where no single ingredient can create a masterpiece dish, each action pattern within this program serves as a crucial element. It is the collective arrangement and specific order of these somatic education exercises that make the program effective.

    Just as a skilled chef carefully prepares and combines ingredients, there are steps of preparation involved in Comforting Your S-I Joints. Each action pattern can be likened to a stage of preparation, playing a unique role in the overall recipe.  Each section builds upon the previous section and prepares you for the next.  You're guided at an easy, step-by-step pace.

    Just as a recipe requires care and attention to detail, the program is designed to be followed in a specific order to achieve the desired results for your S-I joints.


    The "Gentle Spine Waves exercise" in Unit 1 of the program is such an ingredient and a step of preparation. It's not expected to relieve your S-I symptoms, by itself (although it works for simple back pain); it's a necessary step to unlock the situation. What it does is relax the back muscles; this step is one of preparation, not of "cure".


    Who is This Program For?



    To get started with the program, Comforting Your S-I Joints and to see a statement of the expected result of each section of exercises, you may enter your information, below.







    A quick-response email message will come to your email address requesting permission to mail to you. Once you give permission, "Getting Started for Free" emails will come to you with bite-size steps for Unit 1 of Comforting Your S-I Joints.  That gives you a taste of the program -- both how you do it and the results.

    Comforting Your S-I Joints is a system of movement-based exercises that reprograms muscle/movement memory in a lasting way. You'll feel changes for the better with each practice session; changes accumulate over time. The entire system extinguishes the pain and restores mobility.

    See the section, below, to get started with Comforting Your S-I Joints, for free. It's free because I expect you to find it effective and so to purchase the rest of the program for the full result.


    By getting started with Unit 1, you can develop the confidence that you actually can succeed at this program and, as improbable as it may seem, do for yourself what medical professionals and therapists have been unable to do, for you. 

    Structured exercises that retrain muscle/movement memory can do for you what manipulation, drugs, TENS ("transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation" -- nerve stimulation through the skin), or surgery, cannot.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Introducing Lawrence Gold, a certified practitioner of the revolutionary Hanna Somatic Education(R), a groundbreaking discipline in the realm of healthcare focused on pain elimination. With over three decades of experience, Lawrence Gold has been dedicated to helping individuals find relief from various ailments.

    During the period spanning from 2005 to 2015, Lawrence Gold painstakingly developed a comprehensive program specifically designed to alleviate the wide range of symptoms associated with S-I joint dysfunction. Through extensive testing and refinement, he has ensured the program's effectiveness before making it available to the public.

    For those seeking further information or assistance, Lawrence Gold can be reached conveniently via email or phone. You can contact him at +1 505 819-0858, located in Portland, OR.  Lawrence Gold is committed to providing the support and guidance necessary to help individuals find lasting relief from S-I joint dysfunction and achieve improved well-being.






    CLICK THE IMAGE, AT RIGHT
    or GET STARTED, AT NO CHARGE,
    BY ENTERING YOUR INFORMATION, ABOVE.






    https://somatics.com/page7-consultation.htm

    Click the image, above, to find out
    about 
    personal mentoring
     
    with the developer, Lawrence Gold.

    copyright 2015-2020 Lawrence Gold
    This writing may be reproduced only in its entirety,
    with accurate attribution of its authorship
    and contact information.




    16 comments:

    1. Your article is a god send for me. Why? For the last 25 years I've suffered badly from an undiagnosed syndrome of pain but not one physical therapasit has understood. Exercise has always been the order of the day. All the stretching, massage, manipulation, exercise, steriod injections etc hasn't worked one other than put me back in bed for complete rest. I do have SI joint dysfunction bi laterally, a weak psoas, back pain, torso pain, neck pain and painful spasms of the quads amongst other mysterious body aches and pains. Your article explains to a T what I've lived with all those years. In additon, the Labrum in my hip had frayed extensively away from the bone and cartilage had gone. It all adds up. Thank you so very much for posting... like I said it's been a godsend for me.

      ReplyDelete
    2. I have a fused right SI joint from a MVA in 1999. My left SI, muscles and tendons have been very bothersome in the past 5 years. I have been telling my doctors for years that I feel twisted and after reading your article, now I know why! Because of that fusion I'm not sure if I can get any relief.

      ReplyDelete
    3. Hello!
      Where can i enter my email to receive the regimen described?

      ReplyDelete
    4. Scroll to the end.

      in your service,

      Lawrence Gold

      ReplyDelete
    5. The psoas would not affect urination. As this entry states, a twisted sacrum may affect urination.

      ReplyDelete
    6. I have a hypermobile sacrum- and it causes pelvic pain, especially bladder pain. I can't seem to get it to stabilize. I will try these exercises. What are your thoughts on prylotherapy?

      ReplyDelete
    7. to "anonymous"

      Prolotherapy assumes that the problem is slack ligaments. The therapy is supposed to tighten them.

      The diagnosis of "hypermobility" misses the point. The jammed side is the problem, and that's a product of unbalanced and distorted weight-bearing stresses causing the sacrum to ride out of its centered and balanced position.

      Prolotherapy doesn't correct such imbalances.

      ReplyDelete
    8. I've been doing your free exercises for right SI pain for 2 weeks and am about halfway through them. I have pain, but it's different than it was and I can't sleep on my sides comfortably. I take ballet 4 times a week, but it has stopped aggravating the pain since I've been doing your program. I know I needed to retrain the muscles on my right side around hips as they weren't firing correctly. I stopped doing one of the exercises (on belly, leg forward far to the side, lift head...) because it hurt on the right when I put my head back down. If I continue thru the free program, do you think the pain will go away? how to proceed? buy the full program and try it, or would you recommend a brief consultation. Thank you, I think this is the right answer for me.

      ReplyDelete
    9. to mumnmgr

      When an exercise makes you cringe from pain, skip it and move on; you'll come back to it, later, when you're more fit for it.

      This question is answered in the introductory track of the program, Comforting Your S-I Joints | http://somatics.com/page7-S-I.htm.

      Buy the full program; it's guaranteed (no time limit).

      ReplyDelete
    10. Hi there! I'm so glad I found your page. I tried to sign up above for your free Comforting Your S-I Joints program as a starter, but got an error message. Is it still possible to sign up for it? Thank you kindly! I have been in pain since January and practitioners are finally landing on SI joint dysfunction.

      Kim

      ReplyDelete
    11. And it is not a one step process, and for Jung there is no end. On the other hand for Taoist meditation the ultimate end is Tao where every element is integrated. MMA injuries are nasty

      ReplyDelete
    12. Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!Very useful information particularly the last part :) I care for such info a lot. I was seeking this certain information for a long time.
      Racz Epidural Neurolysis
      Radiofrequency Lesioning
      Spinal Cord Stimulation
      Selective Nerve Root Block
      Sympathetic Nerve Block For Pain
      Vertebroplasty

      ReplyDelete
    13. Hi, Is it possible that the shallower SI joint side is jammed too much backward, instead of the deeper side forward? My chiropractor told me that one side of my sacrum has rotated backwards. That side feels shallower and has very tight psoas. Thank you,

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. It's possible, but not particularly relevant; your chiropractor made an interpretation. The course of action is the same; the deeper side is the "working side" for four of the exercise patterns of Comforting Your S-I Joints.

        Experience with the exercise patterns of Comforting Your S-I Joints suggests to me that my description is the accurate one: the forward side is the jammed side.

        The shallower side is typically the side that has the tight psoas and radiating pain to the groin.

        Comforting Your S-I Joints:
        https://somatics.com/page7-S-I.htm

        Delete
    14. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      ReplyDelete