Back Pain
The history and presentation are often nonspecific, as the diagnosis of Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) dysfunction is often complicated by referred pain from a discogenic cause or facet joint arthritis, and sometimes SIJ dysfunction develops as a result of adaptive changes. SIJ dysfunction often becomes symptomatic following a minor traumatic event. Pain is aggravated by transitional activities and activities requiring asymmetrical loading, such as climbing stairs, getting up from a chair, skating, and golfing. Referred pain affects the buttocks, the groin, and the entire lower limb, and as a discriminating factor, it almost never is referred above the fifth lumbar level.
Patients often report pain in the gluteal region down the back of the leg with numbness in the buttocks and tingling sensations along the distribution of the sciatic nerve. These symptoms may be increased by rotation of the hip in flexion or knee extension, along with tenderness over sciatic notch, and atrophy of gluteus maximus.