Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Specialist

What is the sacroiliac joint? 

The sacroiliac (SI) joint, located in the pelvis, links the iliac bones to the sacrum (lowest part of the spine above the tailbone). This joint acts as a shock absorber by protecting your spine from the impact of sudden movements. 

Do you have SI joint pain? 

Clinical studies has found the SI joint is a major source of pain in 15-30% of patients with low back pain and is commonly a pain source in up to 43% of patients with new or continued low back pain after a lumbar fusion. 

Similar to other joints in the body, the SI joint can be injured and/or become degenerative. This can result in buttock pain and occasionally low back, leg and groin pain. This pain can be enhanced when lifting, running, walking, or even sleeping on the effected side. 

What are the symptoms of SI joint pain? 

-Lower back pain 
-Sensation of low extremity: pain, numbness, tingling, weakness 
-Pelvis/buttock pain 
-Hip/groin pain 
-Feeling of leg instability (buckling, giving way) 
-Disturbed sleep patterns due to pain 
-Disturbed sitting patterns (unable to sit for long periods, sitting on one side) 
-Pain going from sitting to standing. 

How does my doctor determine the source of my lower back pain? 

The team at South Texas Spinal Clinic can perform various tests to determine if the SI joint is the source or a component of your lower back pain. Following a physical examine, your doctor may order an X-ray, CT-scan, or MRI to aid with diagnosis. 

Your doctor may also use anesthetic injections to test whether the SI joint is the source of your back pain. For this test, your doctor injects a local anesthetic into the SI joint. then waits to see if your pain is relieved. If your symptoms are decreased by at least 50%, the SI joint can be concluded as either the source of or a major contributor to your lower back pain. If the level of pain does not change after SI joint injection, it is less likely that the SI joint is the cause of your lower back pain. 

How is SI joint pain treated? 

The specialists at South Texas Spinal Clinic offer a variety of treatment options to relieve lower back pain stemming from the SI joint. 

Short-term pain relief techniques include: 

-Medications to relieve pain 
-Steroid injections 
-Physical therapy 

If you and your doctor are looking for a long-term pain relief solution, minimally invasive surgery may be a better option for you. 

SI Joint Fusion with the iFuse Implant System

The doctors at South Texas Spinal Clinic use the iFuse Implant System to provide patients suffering from specific SI joint disorders with stabilization and fusion. The iFuse Implant System uses triangular-shaped, titanium implants that are inserted across the SI joint to maximize post-surgical stability and weight bearing capacity. This minimally invasive procedure involves making a small incision on the buttock and takes about an hour. 

SI joint treatment using the patented triangular design of the iFuse Implant™ has produced positive clinical results. More than thirty published, peer-reviewed articles demonstrate safety and effectiveness of the iFuse Implant System.6 iFuse is the only SI joint fusion system with clinical studies demonstrating that treatment improved pain, patient function, and quality of life.7 


If you’re struggling with chronic lower back pain, don’t wait to get it checked out. Call South Texas Spinal Clinic or book an appointment online today.