Sacroiliitis is an inflammation of one or both of the sacroiliac joints. This condition can cause pain and stiffness in the lower back, legs, and hips. For this reason, patients with sacroiliitis often wonder if walking is good for this condition.
Sacroiliitis is associated with many conditions that cause inflammation in the spine. Everyone has two sacroiliac joints, one on each side of the bony structure at the base of the spine known as the sacrum.
This joint connects the sacrum to the iliac bone, the top of the hip bone. Inflammation of this joint is referred to as sacroiliitis, and it can lead to pain in the sacrum, buttocks, lower back, and legs.
Causes and symptoms of sacroiliitis
There are several reasons that the sacroiliac joint may become inflamed, such as:
- Ankylosing spondylitis. This is a progressive type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine and hips. Sacroiliitis is often an early symptom of this disease.
- Injury. A sudden lateral impact, such as a car accident or a fall, or lifting heavy objects, can damage sacroiliac joints and cause inflammation, leading to degenerative sacroiliitis.
- Infection. If the sacroiliac joint becomes infected, it becomes inflamed and can be damaged.
- Altered bodily equilibrium, caused by scoliosis or dysmetria of the legs, for example.
- Pregnancy and childbirth. In the final stages of pregnancy and during childbirth, the sacroiliac joint opens, widening the pelvis so that the baby can pass through. It can also occur in a multiple pregnancy, such as when the mother is carrying twins or triplets.
Sometime, sacroiliitis pain can be intermittent. Many patients experience stronger symptoms during the night, if they sleep lying on the affected side, or upon waking up. The pain can flare up when you stand for a long periods of time, bearing your body weight on one side or the other, on when sitting or climbing stairs. The main symptoms of sacroiliitis are:
- Low back pain on one side.
- Pain radiating to the hip and groin.
- Pain that spreads down the outer side of the leg to the ankle, and even the foot, simulating sciatica due to a herniated disc.
- Stiffness in the hips and lower back
It is estimated that 15 to 20% of diagnosed cases of lower back pain actually have their origin in a joint, and not the lumbar spine. The lower back pain caused by sacroiliitis is often mistaken for other pathologies. Many patients undergo surgery without finding pain relief, and this is due to a misdiagnosis. Dr. Català talks more about this in an article in El Confidencial:
Is walking good for sacroiliitis?
Sacroiliitis is not a serious disease and is condition that can improve with regular physical therapy. The patient should follow their physical therapist’s guidelines.
No matter whether a patient has had surgery or has undergone conservative treatments, low-impact aerobic exercises, such as walking, are still important as they help improve cardiovascular health. However, people with lower back and hip disorders are often bothered by discomfort, so to be sure how long or how far you can walk without straining the joints and worsening your condition, it is important to check with your physical therapist first. At IC Rehabilitation, we make personalized plans for each patient, taking into account their needs and limitations.
As a physical activity, walking is gentler and better for the sacroiliac joint than running or jogging, and it has the added benefit that it can be easily included in your daily life. Start with short, daily walks, and as the joints begin adapting, gradually increase the distance and length of time you walk.
Be sure to choose a suitable terrain for walking, it should be even and not too steep. Your walking shoes should be light, flexible, and comfortable, and they should hold and support your feet well. Shoes with laces are better than sandals, clogs, flip-flops or others.
Iria Rabell, director of IC Rehabilitation, explains that: "With this type of condition it is very important to know how to stretch, mobilize and relax the muscles, so it is it’s a good idea to get some help from a physical therapist who can teach you a routine that you can carry out on your own in order to help your body."
Our physical therapists are familiar with this type of condition and are experienced in providing effective treatments where the patient participates, creating a multidisciplinary effort between the Instituto Clavel medical team, the physiotherapist specializing in the spine, and the patient.
On the other hand, there are certain exercises that must be avoided if you suffer from sacroiliitis, such as crossfit, weightlifting, running... and other sports where the sacral area can suffer impacts and sudden movements, or be forced to bear heavy weight. This will only aggravate sacroiliac joint pain.
If conservative treatments (such as specialized physical therapy, infiltration of the sacroiliac joint, or radiofrequency) do not work, the patient will need to undergo a sacroiliac joint fusion. In this surgery, titanium implants are placed that cross the joint to stabilize it, and over time the sacroiliac joint will fuse.
Another question patients with sacroiliitis frequently ask is whether they can work while they have this condition. Because this conditions usually takes longer to diagnose than others, patients can suffer pain for quite some time, affecting their quality of life and work activities. In the article below, you can find out more about working with sacroiliitis:
Can you work with sacroiliitis?
If you suffer any of the symptoms described above, and you have seen a doctor, but they have not been able to detect anything in x-rays, you may have sacroiliitis. We want to remind you that at Instituto Clavel we are always available to answer any questions you may have. Please, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Categories: Wellness, Rehabilitation, Pain Management