Less Forceful Chiropractic Manipulation Techniques

At times, sacroiliac joint problems and/or low back pain may favor a less forceful/ more gentle chiropractic treatment approach that may include:

• Stretching

• Gravity traction using adjusting blocks (See Figure 1)

• Respiratory-assisted adjusting, long-axis leg traction techniques (See Figure 2)

• A "drop" approach utilizing a special type of chiropractic table (See Figure 3)

• A specialized adjusting tool or device called an Activator, as well as a technique called "flexion distraction" (See Figure 4).

The choice as to which technique the chiropractor applies is typically case specific and based from prior approaches that did not yield the desired result.

Muscle Relaxation and Strengthening

Muscle release techniques are often applied during gentle chiropractic treatments in order to minimize excessive strain on the sacroiliac joint arising from an overly tight muscle. Muscles that may require stretching as part of chiropractic care include (but are not limited to) the:

• Hamstrings (the muscles that run through the back of the thigh)

• Piriformis (the pear-shaped muscle that runs from the back of the thigh bone (femur) to the sacrum)

• Adductors (five muscles that go from the pelvis to either the thigh bone or the knee, and ultimately pull the legs together)

• TFL (tensor fascia lata muscle of the thigh)

• Overly tight, low back paraspinal muscles (the muscles next to the lumbar spine).

Similarly, muscle-strengthening chiropractic techniques are often applied to weak gluteal muscles, low back stabilizing muscles, and/or the abdominal muscles.

Specific home-based exercises designed to strengthen the phasic (weak) muscles and/or stretch the tonic (overly tight) postural muscles are often prescribed treatments in chiropractic.

Additional Chiropractic Treatments for the Sacroiliac Joint

At times, when back pain arising from the sacroiliac joint is not responding to treatments, an orthotic such as a sacroiliac belt or support can be helpful.

Chiropractic exam and treatment of other associated problems may be necessary to achieve long term results. For example, an anatomical short leg may be treated by the use of a shoe insert (heel lift, arch support/foot orthotics, or a combination of both) that may be deemed necessary by the chiropractor.

Similarly, proper management of other spinal conditions that may co-exist may also be required to obtain a satisfying outcome for the chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic vs. Other Treatments

When a chiropractic adjustment is carefully applied by an experienced chiropractor, there are very few serious side effects.

For this reason, chiropractic manipulation for treatment of pain from the sacroiliac joint is often preferred prior to more invasive medical treatments.