Sacroiliac joint: A review

Abstract

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is one of the common but underdiagnosed source of mechanical low back pain. The incidence is estimated to be in the range of 15%–30% in patients with nonradicular low back pain. The signs and symptoms of SIJ pain mimic pain arising from other causes of low back pain. There is no single symptom or physical examination finding that can firmly diagnose SIJ as a source of patient's pain. There is good evidence suggesting that a combination of three or more positive provocative tests strongly suggests SIJ dysfunction. Intra-articular injection with local anesthetic is considered the gold standard for diagnosis of SIJ pain. Many treatment modalities are available for SIJ pain, ranging from conservative management to surgical interventions. This review article covers all the aspects of SIJ pain, with treatment section mainly covering evidence-based interventional procedures.

Keywords

• Radio-frequency ablation
• sacroiliac biomechanics
• sacroiliac joint
• sacroiliitis management