The sacroiliac joint, or SI joint for short, links the spine to study, the hypothesis that SI joint pain is best treated with therapeutic manipulation of the spine is well supported.
One small, random process, blind trial that was published by one medical journal investigated treatments for this kind of pain. This research, spearheaded by Dutch doctors utilizing 51 patients as a sample, established the efficacy of chiropractic in treating the SI joint.
Patients volunteering for the research had previously been diagnosed with leg pain originating from the SI joint, and doctors assigned treatment in three groups utilizing a random assignment method. One treatment group was provided treatment via chiropractic, another via exercise therapy and the third via injections with steroids.
The docto have failed if therapy was ended by the patient either because pain worsened or because the patient experienced no improvement. The results among the three groups were as follows.
The exercise therapy research section contained twelve patients who suffered failure and three patients who enjoyed success.
The chiropractic research section had five patients suffer failure and thirteen patients enjoy success.
The steroid injection research section contained nine patients who suffered failure and nine patients who enjoyed success.
Manual therapy proved to improve, on average, 0.7 points. In other words, manipulation of the joint for the treatment of pain in the SI joint is, at least among the three treatments compared, the clear best option.
Though the test’s sample size is small and the researchers recommend the commencement of a larger investigation in order to establish the efficacy of this treatment as a method of treating SI joint pain in a variety of different people, the results show strong promise for this therapy in the treatment of such joint pain.
It is also worth note that those investigated via this research were suffering specifically from leg pain originating in the sacroiliac joint, and screening occurred tory of radiculopathy prompted by hernia of the lumbar disc. As such, those who have received such a radiculopathy may not see identical outcomes as those studied.
Interestingly, this research contradicts some studies. One earlier study indicated that manipulation of the lumbar region was more effective than manipulation of the SI joint in easing pain, while others’ results have demonstrated more efficacy for the other treatments researched. Because of the number of different research conclusions there are on the subject, a good chance exists that there are differing solutions depending on the specific nature of the patient or that of the SI joint pain. However, chiropractic can often be a good first line of defense in such cases because it does not rely on the use of a pharmaceutical. If the body can heal on its own with the assistance of a chiropractor, that is great news indeed.
In this instance, an athlete was originally diagnosed with minor quadriceps muscle strain and was treated for four weeks, with unsatisfactory results. When he came to our clinic, the muscle was not healing, and the patients’ muscle tissue had already begun to atrophy.
Upon examination using MSUS, we discovered that he had a full muscle thickness tear that had been overlooked by his previous provider. To mitigate damage and promote healing, surgery should have been performed immediately after the injury occurred. Because of misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, the patient now has permanent damage that cannot be corrected.
The most important advantage of Ultrasound over MRI imaging is its ability to zero in on the symptomatic region and obtain imaging, with active participation and feedback from the patient. Using dynamic MSUS, we can see what happens when patients contract their muscles, something that cannot be done with MRI. From a diagnostic perspective, this interaction is invaluable.
Dynamic ultrasonography examination demonstrating the full thickness tear and already occurring muscle atrophy due to misdiagnosis and not referring the patient to proper diagnostic workup
Demonstration of how very small muscle defect is made and revealed to be a complete tear with muscle contraction under diagnostic sonography (not possible with MRI)
Complete tear of rectus femoris with large hematoma (blood)
Separation of muscle ends due to tear elicited on dynamic sonography examination
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