SI Joint Dysfunction

The Sacroiliac Joint (SI Joint) is involved in about 22% of patients with lower back pain.

The pain and dysfunction of the SI Joint is often overlooked and underdiagnosed by physicians.

The pain pattern can overlap with spine (lower back) and hip conditions.  Which is the main reason why it is often missed by physicians or physical therapists who are making a diagnosis.

Some physicians may not think of the SI Joint as a pain generator in the case of lower back pain.

It's possible that some doctors may not know about SI Joint dysfunction because they do not se it enough or treat it enough.

Patients may end up seeing multiple physicians, doctors of physical therapy or other health care providers, get multiple diagnoses, and get many imaging studies including x-ray, MRI, or diagnostic ultrasound imaging. 

The only way that true SI Joint pain can be diagnosed is by a proper movement screen typically performed by a doctor of physical therapy...

Where you (the patient) may have pain with bending, twisting, prolonged sitting, getting up from a chair, or walking up stairs. 

SI Joint Dysfunction - Self Test: "Fortin Finger Test"

The Fortin Finger Test is a diagnostic tool to help find and confirm SI Joint dysfunction. Here's how the test is performed:

The patient will point to the spot on their body that is most irritable or where they feel a majority of their current lower back pain.

Once the individual points to the location, the doctor of physical therapy memorizes the spot and allows the patient to relax. 

Five to ten minutes later, the doctor asks the patient again to point to the area where they feel the most pain.  A positive Fortin finger test is determined by when the patient twice identifies their most painful region within one centimeter of the area known as the posterior superior iliac spine.

The test is positive (+) because it shows the patient is able to consistently identify the source of pain even though some time has passed.

A positive result from the Fortin Finger Test indicates a strong likelihood that the patient is dealing with an SI Joint condition.

See the image below to see the specific area that we're talking about...

Now that you have read above, have you performed the test yourself? 

Do you have a spouse or family member who can confirm that your finger is also pointing to the same location described in the Fortin Finger Test?  Or, are you able to confirm this location by standing in front of a large mirror to see the reflection of where your finger is pointing to?

Either you have a high likelihood of your SI Joint being your source of pain, or it would be a low likelihood.

Now that you have gotten a little more clarity about your potential root cause of your lower back/SI Joint pain...

Are you at the point where you are trying to resolve it on your own?  Or, are you at your "wits end" in finding and fixing the root cause of this pain?

If you are ready to have an expert doctor of physical therapy find and naturally fix the root cause of your pain...

In a convenient manner where we travel to you...

Then, feel free to contact us by writing into the "Contact Us" form or by calling us any time 24/7 at (646)-781-8884.

"How Long Does It Take For My Sciatica To Go Away?..."

It depends... it depends on YOU.

In general, it may take about 4 to 8 weeks to go through the first 2 phases of healing (no pain, all movement and range of motion and strength back to normal levels).

It may take another 1 to 4 months to get back to all activities of daily living that you want to be able to do... depending on how active you were before your Sciatica.  This is the third phase of healing.

Here are 10 areas of your life that may determine how fast you can heal your Sciatica:

1.) Overall health.  Healthy people heal faster.  Younger people heal faster.

2.) Other health issues such as Diabetes (especially Type II Diabetes), hypertension and high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic alcohol use or abuse, cigarette smoking or tobacco use, and an elevated body weight or elevated body mass index (BMI) all contribute to healing rates... and can extend the amount of time for your Sciatica to heal.

3.) Diet and nutrition.  People who eat more nutrients and more natural ingredients can heal much faster than other people who consume a lot of processed foods or sugary foods including high fructose corn syrup.

4.) Good sleep and rest levels.  Our bodies require approximately 7-8 hours of sleep per night in order to rest and recover our muscular system and nervous system.  A lack of sleep can certainly slow the healing time of your Sciatica.  And, if you have Lower Back Pain or Sciatica at night while trying to fall asleep or while trying to stay asleep, this can directly impact your ability to heal, rest, and rebuild. 

5.) Sedentary lifestyle (a lot of daily sitting).  People who sit all or most of the day for their work occupation can expect a longer healing time when dealing with Sciatica.  Also, the same goes for sitting and watching TV (or streaming your favorite content) for several hours per day.  Motion is lotion, and in order to speed up the healing of your Sciatica, you need to be able to stand up, walk around, and change positions.  Around 30, 40, 50 years ago, doctors used to prescribe "bedrest" for Lower Back Pain and Sciatica.  But, now we all know that bedrest makes back pain and sciatica worse because you tighten up, get stiffer, and get weaker if you stay in bed or if you stay on the couch.  The best possible way to start reversing your Sciatica is being able to walk around and change positions, so keep moving!

6.) People who follow professional advice and instruction from board certified specialists and top level healthcare professionals heal more quickly than those who do not follow-through with formal care.  If you are dealing with a lot of pain, it is not time to ask your personal trainer or ask YouTube what you should do to reverse your Sciatica.

7.) People who are aware of their day to day postures, positions, and habits will heal more quickly, because they realize that their daily postures and habits can slow down or speed up the healing and recovery of their Sciatica.  They are able to adapt and immediately respond to their condition, and are able to adjust their normal behaviors (such as walking more) in order to find movements, activities, or habits that can "take the edge off" (decrease) their Sciatica symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling, burning, throbbing.

8.) Stress and tension levels.  Those who live with or experience higher levels of stress or frequent tension may heal slower.  If someone is really stressed, their nervous system does not get a chance to "turn off" or relax.  So, if their nervous system is always "on" and in a "fight or flight" mode, then there won't be much opportunity for their bodies to rest or recovery.  This means that their nerves (extensions of their nervous system) may be over-stimulated and remain "on" and activated even when the person is trying to relax or sleep.  So, since Sciatica is a condition involving your Sciatic Nerve with nerve pain or nerve symptoms, you can see how stress could delay the healing and recovery. 

9.) Readers heal faster, and so do those who can focus.  People with longer attention spans are typically self-educated, self-motivated, and self-directed... therefore, those who are self-educated on a topic like Sciatica are more likely to follow-through with successful treatment.

10.) Persistent.  People who think or believe there's hope tend to be more serious, optimistic, and persistent in finding the right Sciatica Treatment for them.  And, they are the type of people who won't let anything stop them or stand in their way.  (For example, we recently had a man with Sciatica fly from Seattle to New York City to be successfully treated for Sciatica.) 

If you have any additional questions about your pain, injury, or your condition, you can call us any time, and our 24/7 receptionist will answer your call, collect some information, and you will get a call back from one of our specialists.  If you are not yet ready to speak and prefer to learn more, click here to check out dozens and dozens of our success stories and testimonials from other New Yorkers, just like you.