# SEVERE Sacroiliac hip joint pain! Please help!



## renegaderains (Feb 15, 2004)

For nearly 9 years I have been having varying amounts of inflammation/pain in my left hip. This winter I discovered that I have been riding too far up on my left. I have corrected the issue alas it seems my whole lower left side is very weak from my poor cycling position. Soon as I assumed a correct cycling position I started getting horrible pain. However the usual inflation I had for years is gone! Now I just feel weak then sore then POW HUGE NERVE PAIN from certain movements. My doc put me on 10/500 hydrocodone pills after diagnosing me with a Sacroiliac sprain. The pills are to help me sleep. I make one little wrong movement or god forbid turn over on one side and I get a huge nerve pain jolt that makes me gasp and become completely awake. It is getting better as I strengthen up that side. I only get pain after rides now. Alas I can still not sleep. Even all meded up on pain garbage I still pop awake from Nerve pain the first and sometimes the second night after a big ride. (been doing smaller rides trying to build up slowly) I hate to take any pills but I think I might need to go back and ask the doc for something stronger that will numb the nerve pain enough for me to sleep. Dose anybody here have any experiences with this sort of thing? I'm stretching, using heat packs and trying to avoid irritateing my hip. Alas I am so sick of this. I've got bags under my eyes and am sick of dreading bed time. Yelp!

Live well, Ride well,

R


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## panda-man (Aug 21, 2008)

How did you injure yourself in the first place? Is it your SI joint that is hurting or the muscles around your hip that hurts? Is the pain local or does it radiate down your leg? What do you mean you corrected the issue? What have you done to treat this ailment in the past?


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## renegaderains (Feb 15, 2004)

There never really was any big injury. It had been just a little inflamed sense 2000ish. The first bad inflamation pain i got was from wearing a very tight belt. My doc after an exam said doc it was the soft connecting tissue that was causing pain by not being strong enough to hold a proper ailment. The not quite so nervy pain is local noramlly but when it get sevear (like after a ride) it will radiate down the back of my leg and will also hurt in the middle of my left butt cheek. The issue with my position on the bicycle caused my whole left side to have limited rotation as I peddled. So my left side was working much less than my right when riding. I have corrected this problem by making sure to center myself on the seat properly. Now after rides my whole left side is much more tired than the right. And as soon as my left hip area gets tired I get that dammed nerve pain. Riding is the only thing that has made my hip feel stronger with less pain. Alas this is only after the mussles fully recover.


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## roybatty666 (Mar 2, 2009)

I feel for you, I had my leg quiver when I was mid way pushing a 140kg squat and that caused my hips to shift and pull my Sacroliac Joint.

I couldn't move for 2 days but refused to let it stop me training and necked some pills and worked through it avoiding lower back and twisting lifts.

I found I sat wonkey at work to ease the joint but ended up putting pressure on my syatic nerve causing excruciating pain down my left butt and leg (worse than my back pain)

Sitting correctly and doing stretches cured my Syatic issue and time cured my Sacroiliac joint.

The Sacroiliac joint has only a few millimeters of movement so it is rare to really do major damage it is just your bodies normal reaction to protect your back by making it really painful.

The joints is a friction joint with supporting bands of tissue (no real muscle) so I found heat did nothing for it. If it is really bad they can remove the sliding layer of the joint and fuse the vertebrae to the pelvis this only loses a small amount of back movement as it only moves a few mm anyway

See a chiropractor rather than a normal doctor for decent stretches and maybe alternative treatment. A sports injury therapist may even be able to help (that's what I saw) and they will be keen to help with getting the riding sorted without pain etc, A doc says just don't do it, a sports physio will show you how to carry on and heal.

All the best mate it is a horrible thing to hurt, especially when it effects your sleep


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## renegaderains (Feb 15, 2004)

That for the support and info. I'm getting better at managing the pain and it is slowly getting less painful. I'm so broke right now so all I can really afford is some stronger meds for when things get really bad. I start working at a new job in the fall. My first paycheck is going for phyical therpy if I'm still in any pain. Alas for now I think I'm going to haft to get some stronger meds so I can slowly work to build up the strength on my left side.


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## roybatty666 (Mar 2, 2009)

I forget about you guys having to pay for medical bills, as much as people moan in the UK about our National Health Service the little we pay a month to the government in out pay covers everything and we never even think about not getting medical things checked out immediately.

There seem to be a quite a few interesting pages on google about stretches you might try, but if it is a really old injury and still giving you lots of pain you may need an injection in the joint


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## Skinner29er (Apr 12, 2009)

Renegade rains, I read your post and I have a few questions you could ask yourself or your Dr., but a little about me first. I am 43 years old and started getting severe pain in my sacoriliac joint in my 20's. I thought it was because my three knee surgeries had put my leg out of whack. To make a long story short I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondilitis. Which is a fancy work for arthritis of the sacoriliac joint and spine. there are blood tests that can be done to detemine if you have some type of inflamatory disease. Pain Meds will not cure anything. I know because I needed them for a long time. I now take drugs intravenously every 6 weeks and have (almost) no pain.

You mentioned there was no injury. You cant sleep. You are probably not comfortable sitting on a soft chair either. I would reccomend you speak to your DR. about inflamation issues in your body. I finally did and dont need pain meds any more. relying on pain meds is no way to live. because your pain has been going on for 8 years I would get some tests done. You sound alot like me 4-5 years ago...

Sorry about the rambling post, and spelling errors. 

I'd be happy to share more if you think I hit on something.

By the way does arthritis run in your family? My sister has had it since 11 years old and it was she who sent me to her Dr. and figured out what was wrong with me!!


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## renegaderains (Feb 15, 2004)

Actually I just had a full arthritis blood screening for a foot issue. The tests all came back normal thankfully. There is no family history of any auto immune disorders in my family. Actually my hip has been feeling a lot better as I've worked to make it stronger. Going to try to just deal with the hip issue until next winter when insurance kicks in. At that point if my hip is still bugging me at all I'm going to go back in and get xrays and a full workup. Also going to change my doc to a sports doc. Thanks for the heads up I sure hope It will just slowly get better.


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## Hellrazor666 (Oct 27, 2008)

Do some research on docs before switching. I was referred to a sports doc and he was no help. In fact when I asked him about any kinda of protein stuff I could take to help with my muscles around my knee to help keep them dense his response was " I don't know". So find someone who specializes in cases like yours. I understand the pain med thing I used them to help sleep at night with no avail . Just watch out on those things cause when you stop taking them on heavy doses you will have some form of detox and it is no fun. Vicodin may help with pain but will not help with inflammation


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

I deal with sciatica that has severely impaired sleeping at times. From my research this is a condition that conventional ("western") medicine has a very poor track record with. My advice would be yoga, stretching, massage, and/or chiro.... none of the above are going to cure it, but it will help you live with it while it calms down and heals a bit without the side effects and expense of the drugs. I probably would have tried acupuncture also if there had been a way to fit it into my schedule.

FWIW I've been doing the video below (honestly I just turn off the sound and follow along w/ the laptop while I'm watching something else on my main computer)... usually by about halfway through my hip/back is popping and by the end it's loosened up considerably. I still need to get a 'real' DVD of yoga for athletes.


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## renegaderains (Feb 15, 2004)

Oh yeah this time I will really do my homework on a new doc. At this point things have eased up a bit so I might take a pain pill once a week now. Alas I do try to make due with naproxen. Was on pain meds for a week soild 24/7 for a wizdom tooth extraction that got infected. Boy I just did not feel right for a day or two after I stopped taking the pain meds. So i am very carefull with those.


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## fireant (Mar 24, 2009)

I had terrible sciatic nerve pain, back and other hip ailments but not anymore. Chiro practice, meds, drugs, beer, you name it.. didnt help.. MANY Thanks to the back inversion table. Strap yourself in and hang upside down. There are various degrees you can start with instead of the full 180 upside down. Stretching does help but who likes to stretch? Dont know where you live, but ive gone to Sports Authority and Dicks Sports and tested their models. Work wonders for me and made a daily habit of doing 5 mins everyday.


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## jml401 (May 6, 2009)

I see this stuff all the time; you most likely have a pubic upshear on the left side. This is one of the most common and chronic complaints for radicular type pain (sciatica). 

The reason why the back inversion table works is because it helps to "pull down" the upsheared inominate (aka pelvis). This is likely a temporary solution; hence the need to hang upside down a couple times a week.

FTW- this is my first post; I am a med student, and this is a common problem that we see day in and out. People will go to all lengths to see chiropractors, orthopedic surgeons, take pain pills, etc... all without resolution of the pain. I highly suggest anyone with this type of pain see an osteopathic physician (D.O.) in your area that specializes in osteopathic manipulative medicine. They are specialized in the treatment of the body as a whole, and they treat the whole person; not just the symptoms. And yes, they are licensed to write prescriptions if that's a deciding factor for some of you...

If everything else you've tried has failed thus far - give it a shot!


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## BoiseBoy (Mar 1, 2006)

*I'm not sure about that!*



jml401 said:


> I see this stuff all the time; you most likely have a pubic upshear on the left side. This is one of the most common and chronic complaints for radicular type pain (sciatica).
> 
> The reason why the back inversion table works is because it helps to "pull down" the upsheared inominate (aka pelvis). This is likely a temporary solution; hence the need to hang upside down a couple times a week.
> 
> ...


I would say that there is a significantly higher number of posterior Ilial rotations than actual upslips. Statistically there are more on the Right side than the Left as well.

Most of your upslips are coming from a hypertonus/facilitated Psoas muscle that almost always comes from an upper Lumbar dysfunction or as a result of an L5 dysfunction (instability) that facilitates the contralateral functional antagonist (Psoas).

Pelvic/SI joint dysfunctions typically have a different presentation/pattern than an actual L5caused "Sciatica".


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## blowinheat (Nov 3, 2008)

*renegaderains; I think I might have a simple solution to your problem.*

renegaderains; Just wondering if you still were having the problem with the si joint. If so let me know, and I'd be more than happy to explain. The exact same thing just happened to me a couple of weeks ago. Like you, I was in so much excruciating pain that I had to take pain killers just to get some sleep. Aside from the nerves being pinched, it felt like every ligament, tendon, and muscle in my hip socket was inflamed, tender and raw. Anyway, I've already typed more than I planned.


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## cthomas42 (Feb 24, 2009)

*Physical Therapy*

Two words: PHYSICAL THERAPY

I skimmed this thread pretty well and didn't see those words in any of the posts. As a physical therapy student (through 1 year, 2 more to go), and after having gone through two ACL tears plus other structures in my knee, I have a lot of faith in PT in investigate the cause of, and treat most physical disorders. A physical therapist can investigate the cause of any pain and work the reverse the cause of the pain. Other at-home treatments and some chiropractric maneuvers can only relieve the symptoms. A physical therapist can manipulate joints, provide exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles, and continually assess the injury to adjust the treatment.

P.S. You don't need a physician referral to visit a physical therapist in most states.

Good luck!


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

FWIW my chiropractor is a marathon runner and he's given me a ton of homework to do. I think he hangs out with the local PT so there's a lot of cross pollination going on.

My latest "trick" I came up with myself... I hang off a bar in the gym by my hands, grab an exercise ball with my feet, and make the widest controlled circles I can with the ball in both directions using as much hip movement as I get. He was laughing when I told him about that maneuver today but agreed that it was probably helpful.


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## Hellrazor666 (Oct 27, 2008)

cthomas42 said:


> Two words: PHYSICAL THERAPY
> 
> I skimmed this thread pretty well and didn't see those words in any of the posts. As a physical therapy student (through 1 year, 2 more to go), and after having gone through two ACL tears plus other structures in my knee, I have a lot of faith in PT in investigate the cause of, and treat most physical disorders. A physical therapist can investigate the cause of any pain and work the reverse the cause of the pain. Other at-home treatments and some chiropractric maneuvers can only relieve the symptoms. A physical therapist can manipulate joints, provide exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles, and continually assess the injury to adjust the treatment.
> 
> ...


Not true if you are in the Kaiser system you need a referral. Also find out about your pt person first. I saw a pt person and they treated me for the wrong thing and didn't look at my x ray that was sent to her at all. Both her and the doctor gave me a misdiagnoses .Neither one of them looked at my x ray until 1 yr later when I was still having serve pain. The original doc said hey anyone tell you that you have a bone defect. I looked right at her and said no you never told me she looked shocked. She pulled up the new x-ray and the old one and said it has gotten worse. Wow 1 yr of severe pain could have been avoided had she simply looked at my x ray the first time . I have all my records showing that even the x ray tech from the first one pointed it out but she didn't even look at it. So do some investigation before going to a pt


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## blowinheat (Nov 3, 2008)

*Physical Therapy; I agree*

I agree with the previous post suggesting physical therapy. To be perfectly honest I was surprised to read that renegadereins was making regular trips to a dr. Having played both high school and college football, I've spent my fair share of time in a training room. I've had dozens of injuries, and have seen how the training staff treats and rehabs a few dozen more different injuries. I came to the conclusion a long time ago regardless of the injury, (sprained ankle, knee, muscle tear, or ligment or tendon damage). UNLESS AN INJURY IS REHABILITATED PROPERLY AND THOROUGHLY, chances are that it will continue to hamper and bother you for the rest of your life. I also came to the conclusion that only professional athletes and some college athletes have the time, ability, and resources to completely and thoroughly rehab their injuries.


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## The_rydster (Sep 27, 2006)

I was doing a lot of road ride in 07/08 and in ~March 08 I was cycling along and felt something kind of 'give' in my lower left back/buttock. No immediate pain, but after that I would go out on long rides and come back with refered pain down the outside of my leg down to the top of the foot, and a kind of radiating pain in my left buttock. The pain would stop me sleeping and was proportional to how much cycling I did. Basically I stopped riding and now just do half and hour here and there.

I had an MRI of the lumber spine recently and it just found a bit of compression of the lower disks and some facet joint wear. I think one disk bulged asymetrically very slightly, but nothing which would impinge on the nerves apparently.

My sports Doctor is a 'deniar' of SI problems, even though I said I am sure I sprained my SI back in 96 playing socccer. He doesn't seem to have any idea really. I kind of agreed to give it a few months and come back. 

When I do lower lumber stretches (back on floor and (left or right) leg crossing over my body to twist the lower back/pelvis), there is something in my lower left back that feels like it 'wants' to release but won't quite.

I am seeing a Physio who seems helpful. I know my flexibility is [email protected] and he said to work on it which I am now like a fanatic, also to get better motor control with these exercises to tilt the pelvis fwd more. He said also my back is slightly lordotic, but not too bad. He's also a denier of SI problems.

I think he is right about my [email protected] flexibility and I have let that go since I stopped riding. OTOH I still don't think I have found the root of my problem, and it is damn frustrating since cycling was all I did and now I can't really. Don't know what to do now.

I plan to - in the next few months - start doing more riding and see how it goes. Something still feel wrong and I am sure the pain will come on like a toothache again; slow and steady, until it becomes agony.

Personally I think my left SI has shifted slighly and this is the problem. I need to release it and get in back to where it should be.

It's hurting down there right now just as I sit. I just did stretching and stuff (back flexion) and it makes my back go stiff.

HELP!


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## blowinheat (Nov 3, 2008)

To everyone that is having this severe excruciating pain in your lower back, and or si joint. I experienced the same thing after I switched saddles and adjusted my seat "Back". Try adusting your seat forward 3/4 of the way to as far forward as it will go. This is not a quick-fix thing for everyone's experiences, but it was causing my pain when I had no idea what was wrong. And please keep everyone informed on this thread. Good luck!


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## aaronT0331 (Jun 26, 2013)

*renegaderain--hip pain*

Renegade, I agree with a lot of the people who commented about the physical therapy. This certainly helped me out a lot. I had issues with my sacroilac joints that were causing me a lot of pain a couple years ago. I did physical therapy for a year and it definitely helped. Since then I have also been wearing a hip brace on a regular basis. It has helped with my posture and keeping it aligned. Look up Braces for Hip, Hip Support Belts, Hip Stabilizers, Hip Orthoses I use the Bauerfeind SacroLoc brace and have been pretty happy with it. I rarely have hip pain any more after the PT and using the brace. That one was specifically for sacroiliac issues, and i'm not sure if your injury is the same but they have a variety of braces for hip pain. Let me know if this helps.


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