Lower back pain is something almost everyone experiences at some point. But it might not necessarily come from your lumbar spine (your lower back spine)—sometimes, it can come from the joints just below, like the sacroiliac joint (SIJ), a small joint at the bottom of your back, where your pelvis meets the base of your spine.
So how can you tell if your pain is coming from your lower back or from the joints near your pelvis? This is where a physiotherapist can help by doing a full assessment to figure out what’s really causing the pain and provide treatments to ease your pain.
What Is Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain typically comes from structures like the spine, discs, joints, or muscles in the lumbar region (your lower back). You may experience:
- Either dull aching pain, soreness, sharp pain or a radiating tingling sensation
- Worse with bending, twisting, lifting, or prolonged sitting
- Having reduced back movements, joint stiffness
- Better with rest or certain movements
Common causes include:
- Muscle strain
- Poor posture
- Disc irritation
- Joint stiffness or muscle tightness
- Overuse or increasing the work your muscles are doing too quickly
What Is SIJ Pain?
SIJ pain is a type of lower back pain that comes specifically from the sacroiliac joint (joint that connects your lumbar spine to the pelvis or where your tailbone is). Key features include:
- Localized pain spot on one side of the lower back or buttock
- Often sharp or stabbing and sometimes radiating into the thigh (but rarely past the knee)
- Difficult to sit in one position for too long limited by pain
- Painful when standing up from sitting, forward bending, walking uphill, climbing stairs, lying sideways on the affected side or turning in bed
The SIJ doesn’t move much, but it plays a key role in transferring forces between your upper body and legs. When it becomes stiff or irritated (from pregnancy, injury, poor posture or poor movement patterns), it can cause pain that’s easy to mistake for general lower back pain.
How Physiotherapy Helps
Whether your pain is coming from the lumbar spine or the SIJ, physiotherapy plays a key role in both diagnosis and treatment.
A physio will:
- Conduct a comprehensive physical examination to identify the affected body structures
- Evaluate your movement patterns to identify the root cause
- Differentiate between general lower back pain vs SIJ pain
- Release tight muscles and ease joint stiffness
- Guide you through a tailored home exercise program
- Strengthen key muscles like your glutes and core for spinal stability
- Educate you on posture and safe movement
Don’t Guess—Get Assessed
Because SIJ pain and lower back pain can feel quite similar, it’s easy to misdiagnose. If you’ve had persistent discomfort in your lower back or buttock, seeing a physiotherapist is the best way to begin your recovery.
Book a physiotherapy session with our team today to find out what’s really causing your pain. We’ll guide you through effective treatment to help ease your discomfort and get you moving confidently again.
