Back pain is more than a nuisance. It’s horrible to get up from a chair or out of the car to find yourself unable to stand straight.
My back pain began in 2011. I don’t know what made me thought I could lift, or even drag, an oversize duffle bag packed with magazines and books with one arm, but that’s what I tried. Full stop. The bag didn’t even budge. Instead, it was me that gave way. Immediately I felt intense pain on my right side that ran from my middle back down my butt and into my leg. I’ve never been the same since.
My doctor diagnosed sacral torsion and had me see a physical therapist.
What is sacral torsion?
This disorder is more common in women than men. It means the sacro-iliac (SI) joints aren’t setting properly. The sacrum, a triangular bone, fits like the keystone of a bridge in between the two pelvic bones called the ilia. The SI joints are the tiny vertical joint spaces between the sacrum and the ilia. Unlike many joints of the body, they have very little motion, but their ability to move is vital to pelvic stability and positioning. For decades, physicians had a hard time believing a joint with such little motion could cause so much pain, yet they have learned the stability and mobility of the sacrum is the key to spinal integrity.
Constant backsliding
Physical therapy and specific exercises helped me, but then something would happen, like, a fall on the ice or a stupid attempt to move furniture, and I’d be hurting again. One particular incident happened during a bend at “Gentle Yoga.” I stood up and my knees buckled from the pain. 
I had to limp out of class. I was in agony. For days it hurt just to roll over in bed!
Then, the Australian physical therapist who’d helped me find some relief moved out of town, and his practice was taken over by a large group of specialists (7 facilities in Michigan) with nice TV ads, but they didn’t do anything in the way of treatments. They only prescribed exercises. They were good exercises, but I was still in pain.
Now I was at a loss as to what to do. The new PTs were definitely not helping. I’m not keen on chiropractors–one chiropractor told me he could cure ADHD by adjusting the bones in your skull. Another told me I needed to wear a lift in my shoe because one leg was shorter than the other, which is a result of having sacral torsion, so I failed to see how putting a lift in my shoe would help. Besides, every chiropractor I’ve seen has done exactly the same back/neck cracking routine without even addressing sacral torsion.
Massage therapy
A few years ago I was regularly seeing a massage therapist that I liked, so I gave him a call. Harv could tell that the muscles deep in my lower back, hips and butt were tightly knotted. After a half-dozen sessions with him, I was doing little better. Harv told me that while we can’t always change the physical anomaly that causes pain, we can address the underlying muscles and get them to relax.
A new Physical Therapist
Then I ended up in major pain again.
This time, I had raked leaves and then went on a two day car trip. The pain had me doubled over. This convinced me to research a better physical therapist group. When I found who might be a good fit, I called my doctor to ask if he’d heard of Neil King Physical Therapy, and learned my doc often recommends them.
My first appointment was an hour and a half of questions and physical examination. The therapist said it’s really important to know which way the sacrum is out of alignment. She pinpointed the problem areas, outlined a plan, showed me how to do a few exercises, and then she did a manual treatment to shift the sacrum into a neutral position. I left feeling more comfortable than when I walked in.
I saw three physical therapists three times a week for treatment and exercises. What a difference. They showed me how to move my body in a way to keep my sacrum in line. The main therapist explained that our stronger muscles, which overcompensate, often pull the sacrum back out of alignment. The exercises I have to do seem simple, but they are specific to my issue, and work the muscles I need most (mostly core and quad).
The stretches are really important, too: hamstring, piriformis, calves, side, front of the thigh.
I was so glad to be treated by people who knew what they’re doing.
My takeaway:
If you have sacral torsion and you can’t tell if the treatment is working, it may not be. There are a lot of reasons why you might not be getting better. Maybe your muscles aren’t strong enough–no amount of chiropractic adjustments or massages will fix you if your muscles are weak or inflamed. Maybe you’re doing something in your daily life that’s destabilizing you on a regular basis, thus preventing you from healing.
In my experience, though, when the physical therapist knows what they’re doing, you can tell, and you will get better. If you are still in pain, maybe you need to make a change.
The combination of PT and massage have made a real difference for me. I do my basic exercises every single day when possible, and I do the stretches in the evening. It’s made an incredible difference.
Thank you for visiting!
Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a writer, poet, and artist.
Learn more about her multi-award winning novel, In the Context of Love.
Learn more about her picture book, Gordy and the Ghost Crab.
Learn more about her poetry chapbook, Sleepwalker
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