Arthrosis of the ISG – Joint
Osteoarthritis in the sacroiliac joint is caused by the heavy strain on this joint over years. The sacroiliac joint (also known as the sacroiliac joint) connects the spine to the pelvis and is therefore a central point of transmission of force from the back, head and arms to the pelvis and legs. Due to the upright gait, very strong forces are transmitted here.
To handle these forces, the joint is secured by very strong and tight ligaments and allows only minimal movement. If the ligaments are now strained by heavy loads, such as heavy physical work over many years, and if a little more mobility is created in the joint, the rubbing of the joint surfaces can lead to arthrosis. The joint surfaces wear out, the cartilage becomes thinner and the surface is no longer smooth but rough.
With every movement, the rubbing of these rough surfaces causes painful stimuli. In situations of high stress, a localized inflammation can also develop, which further increases the pain (so-called activated arthrosis). Typical symptoms of sacroiliac joint arthrosis are deep back pain, pain in the buttocks and partial radiating of the pain into the leg.
Sensations in the affected skin area are also possible. The symptoms are similar to those of irritation of the sciatic nerve and can be confused with these. Sacroiliac joint arthrosis is diagnosed by the typical symptoms and a corresponding medical history.
Many births can also be a risk factor for ISG arthrosis due to a loosening of the ligamentous apparatus. In addition, a clinical examination is performed by an experienced examiner. The diagnosis can be supplemented by X-rays.
Therapeutically, pain treatment and dosed movements under physiotherapeutic guidance are applied in early stages.Other conservative treatments such as osteopathy, stimulation current and acupuncture can also help. For severe pain, a so-called local infiltration can be applied. In this procedure, a local anesthetic is injected at and into the joint, often together with a cortisone-like medication (possibly under imaging control using CT or X-ray fluoroscopy).
In this way, relief can be achieved, especially in phases with particular pain peaks. Surgery is considered the last resort. This involves stiffening the joint by means of screws, which prevents further rubbing of the two joint surfaces against each other, but leads to a loss of function.
