Sacroiliac joint pain in the pediatric population

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pediatric Medicine
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain affects 13%-27% of adults with back pain, but its prevalence in children is understudied.
• The pediatric pelvic girdle's development makes the SI joint susceptible to misalignment, especially in girls.
• Young athletes are prone to SI joint stress and pain mimicking radiculopathy due to repetitive activities or minor trauma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a bedside maneuver for treating SI joint misalignment in pediatric patients with low-back pain.
• To determine the prevalence and characteristics of SI joint misalignment as a cause of low-back pain in children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 48 pediatric patients with low-back pain attributed to SI joint misalignment.
• Bedside examination maneuvers were used to diagnose SI joint misalignment.
• A simple realignment procedure was performed on the day of initial consultation, with data collected on immediate and follow-up pain relief.

Main Results:

• Eighty percent of patients experienced significant and lasting symptom improvement after the realignment procedure.
• Fifty-three percent of all patients achieved immediate and complete symptom resolution.
• Only 2 of 36 patients with significant relief required re-treatment; most were managed with a home exercise program.

Conclusions:

• SI joint pathology is a significant, often overlooked, contributor to pediatric low-back pain.
• A simple bedside SI joint realignment maneuver offers a safe and effective treatment option for pediatric patients, achieving 80% improvement.
• This technique should be considered as a primary intervention for suspected SI joint pain in children before pursuing further diagnostic tests or surgical options.