iFuse patient Denise tells her story of unresolved pain after a successful lumbar fusion surgery. Board-certified neurosurgeon at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants (San Antonio, TX), Dr. Gerardo Zavala II, explains how he is able to help Denise, and patients like her, by diagnosing and treating her sacroiliac (SI) joint concerns.
What is SI Joint Dysfunction?
Dysfunction in the sacroiliac joint is thought to cause low back pain and/or leg pain. The leg pain can be particularly difficult and may feel similar to sciatica or pain caused by a lumbar disc herniation. The sacroiliac joint lies next to the bottom of the spine, below the lumbar spine and above the tailbone (coccyx). It connects the sacrum (the triangular bone at the bottom of the spine) with the pelvis (iliac crest).
The joint typically has the following characteristics:
- Small and very strong, reinforced by strong ligaments that surround it
- Does not have much motion
- Transmits all the forces of the upper body to the pelvis (hips) and legs
- Acts as a shock-absorbing structure