Injuries and diseases of the pelvis
In the area of the bony pelvic girdle there are often joint diseases. For example, joint wear and tear (arthrosis) can occur. Joint inflammations (so-called coxitis) also frequently occur in the area of the hip joint.
The cause for such an inflammation of the joint can be manifold. For example, it can be caused by bacteria that may have penetrated through open wounds or operations, or by an inflammation of the bone marrow (osteomyelitis) that has penetrated the hip joint. However, hip joint inflammation can also occur as a result of rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis) or symptomatically as a side effect of an underlying disorder such as coxarthrosis.
The so-called sacroiliac joint syndrome (ISG syndrome) is a painful tilt of the joint surfaces of the sacroiliac joint into each other and is a frequent cause of back pain. Other diseases of the pelvis are the reduction of bone tissue (osteoporosis), bone inflammation (osteomyelitis) or bone tumours. The pelvic girdle has a very stable and robust structure and looks like a ring when viewed from above.
Because of this stability, pelvic fractures are often only caused by serious accidents such as those that occur in traffic or when falling from a great height. In people who suffer from a reduced bone density, even minor falls can lead to pelvic fractures. Depending on which area of the pelvis is affected, a distinction is made between fractures of the pelvic ring and fractures of the acetabulum. The treatment of these pelvic fractures depends on the stability of the fracture and can be either conservative or surgical.
Pelvic disorders in children
Children or adolescents between the ages of 3-10 years often suffer from a so-called hip cold (Coxitis fugax). This describes a germ-free inflammation of the hip joint, which manifests itself in sudden pain radiating to the knee and a restriction of the rotation of the leg in the hip joint. Hip joint rhinitis usually disappears spontaneously within one to two weeks, often preceded by a viral cold.
An ultrasound examination is used to confirm the diagnosis and in most cases it is sufficient to take it easy to cure the hip rhinitis. Perthes disease is an orthopaedic children’s disease in which bone tissue in the femoral head dies due to circulatory disorders. Perthes disease manifests itself by a gentle limp, knee pain and restricted movement in the hip area.
Pelvic floor
The pelvic floor forms the lower limit of the pelvic canal and is a connective tissue-muscular structure. The functions of the pelvic floor include securing the position of the abdominal and pelvic organs and supporting the closure of the anus and urethra. This is achieved by tensing, relaxing and reflecting the pelvic floor muscles.
Tensing serves to secure continence, the closing muscles of the bladder and the anus are responsible for this, which are significantly supported by the pelvic floor muscles. During urination, defecation and sexual intercourse, the pelvic floor relaxes and pulsates during orgasm, which means that tension and relaxation alternate. Reflective counterholding is important, for example, when coughing, sneezing and laughing, as otherwise urine may be lost due to the increase in pressure in the abdomen.
The human pelvic floor is weakened by obesity, poor posture and operations in the pelvis, in women additionally by childbirth. This can lead to lack of control of the excretory organs, vaginal or rectal prolapse, bladder and uterus prolapse. In many cases, however, this weakness can be corrected by training the pelvic floor muscles.
