Definition
An ISG syndrome is a disease of the so-called sacroiliac joint, which is located between the hip bone and the sacrum. Various causes lead to the fact that the movement in the joint can no longer be carried out without friction, which leads to pain.
Cause
The causes of ISG syndrome are mainly wedging, which occurs between the hip bone and the sacrum (Os sacrum). Normally, both bones are connected by a joint that does not rotate very much. The movement in the joint runs more or less smoothly.
However, if the described wedging occurs, the usual everyday movements can no longer be carried out so easily, which leads to the described complaints. The complaints are also largely due to stretching and pulling movements of the strong muscles and ligaments in the joint area. Overloading due to bad posture leads to this just as much as, for example, overloading due to overweight.
In today’s age of sedentary, occupational activities, these described false strains inevitably occur frequently. Arthrosis, like any other joint, can also lead to these complaints. Arthrosis is also a joint damage caused by wear and tear and incorrect loading.
Symptoms of ISG syndrome are pain that occurs in attacks when the upper body is bent or rotated. In advanced stages, pain can even occur at rest. Characteristic are pulling pains originating from the left or right hip, which either spread upwards from the trunk or pull into one or both legs.
The pain can also spread to the abdominal area. The variety of possible symptoms often makes a quick diagnosis of an ISG syndrome quite difficult. Due to the often complex radiation among other things into the back, those affected often only report back pain.
However, the pain of an ISG syndrome can be distinguished much more finely from the general back pain. On closer examination, the orthopedist finds out that the pain is mostly indicated in the left or right ilium. Patients often notice that they adopt a relieving posture and, when sitting, usually put more weight on one side of the hip and less on the other.
Pain in ISG syndrome is expressed in the lower third of the back. The pain often extends into the sacrum at the upper edge of the back and into the pelvic blades. Pain can be found when you press on the ISG at certain points and also in the immediate vicinity, because the muscles are very tense.
In addition, the pain can also continue into the gluteal muscles, which is an uncomfortable pulling in the gluteal muscles. Often the mobility of the lower back and hips is severely restricted by the blockage and the tension. In a healthy state, the sacroiliac joint absorbs loads and has a kind of springy mechanism.
The pain that patients describe in the case of an ISG blockage is similar to that reported in the case of lumbago or even sciatica. Radiation is reported from the lower back to the hip and far down to the legs to the knees. Persistent or chronic inflammation of the ISG often radiates into the groin and pelvis. In addition, patients report problems when sitting. The affected side is often relieved when sitting, so that only the other half of the buttocks is sat on, which causes further postural damage and pain.
