Your browser is out of date

With an updated browser, you will have a better Medtronic website experience. Update my browser now.

×

Skip to main content

SPINE & ORTHOPAEDIC CONDITIONS

Living with Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

In Australia, back problems are the second most common reason people visit their GP*  with around 1 in 6 Australians suffering from back pain.** It is estimated that 15%-25% of patients with axial low back pain can attribute their pain to the SI joint.⁺ Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is an overlooked cause of back pain that can impact people’s quality of life. 

View treatment options
quote outline

The sheer joy of being able to fully participate in motherhood cannot be underestimated.”

 
-Trish, person with sacroiliac joint fusion

This testimonial relates a genuine account of an individual’s response to the treatment, and does not provide any indication, guide, warranty or guarantee as to the response other persons may have to the treatment. Responses to the treatment may vary. Always consult your healthcare professional for a full list of benefits, indications, precautions, clinical results, and other important medical information that pertains to the therapy or products discussed.

Follow these steps to start your journey to treatment

 

 

STEP 01

Learn about diagnosis

Are you feeling pain in your leg, buttocks, groin, and lower spine? Sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be diagnosed by your doctor.

STEP 02

Discuss with your GP

Download the Doctor Discussion Guide to prepare for your appointments and discuss your treatment options. 

STEP 03

Find a specialist

If your GP recommends further treatment, find a suitable specialist near you. Scroll down to use our find a specialist tool.

Learn About the Diagnosis

 

Your doctor will determine whether you have sacroiliac joint dysfunction by reviewing your medical history, taking x-rays, and reviewing the results from other tests you have completed. Sometimes doctors make a definitive diagnosis through treatment. Doctors may also perform a series of provocative tests.

Provocative tests

A non-invasive way to identify sacroiliac joint dysfunction

 

Provocative tests are a non-invasive method for diagnosing pain from the sacroiliac (SI) joint. A clinician such as a physical therapist, pelvic health specialist, or pain management specialist can perform these tests to help you diagnose SI joint disease or SI joint dysfunction.

During a provocative test, the clinician will perform a specific physical maneuver while you are lying in a particular position, in an attempt to recreate the pain. A positive result means the test recreated pain.

Positive results for at least three of the five provocative tests indicate that your SI joint is causing your pain. The five provocative tests are called:

  • Distraction
  • Thigh Thrust
  • FABER (flexion, abduction, external rotation)
  • Compression
  • Gaenslen’s

 

female-gp

Discuss with your GP

This guide can help you clearly describe your symptoms to your doctor and ask questions that will help your doctor determine the treatment option that is suitable for you. Download and fill out the doctor discussion guide, then bring it to your next appointment.

doctor-patient-blood-pressure-ptlif
Find a specialist

If you think you have sacroiliac joint dysfunction or just want to know more about your symptoms, you can start by speaking with your regular doctor using the Doctor Discussion Guide..

If you do have sacroiliac joint dysfunction, you may need to speak with a specialist. These doctors are trained in diagnosing and treating the SI Joint with all the available therapies. 

References

*Britt, H., Miller, G., Henderson, J., Bayram, C., Harrison, C., Valenti, L., Pan, Y., Charles, J., Pollack, A., Wong, C. and Gordon, J. (2016). General Practice Activity in Australia 2015-16 Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health GENERAL PRACTICE SERIES NUMBER 40. https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/15514/5/9781743325148_ONLINE.pdf.

** Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Back problems. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/back-problems.

⁺ Cohen, Steven P. Sacroiliac Joint Pain: A Comprehensive Review of Anatomy, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Anesth Analg2005;101:1440-1453.