The Relationship Between Lower Back Pain and Pelvic Pain

June Newsletter

Most of us will experience back pain at some point in our lives. We might get a little too enthusiastic when moving furniture or develop muscular imbalances due to a sedentary job. But sometimes, back pain isn’t really back pain — rather, it’s rooted in dysfunction in your pelvic area.

Unfortunately, pelvic pain is often harder to discuss than back pain. It often stems from dysfunction with your pelvic floor, the band of muscles that support your bladder, bowels, and genitals. It can also indicate an issue with your sacroiliac joints.

Both back and pelvic pain can strike men and women — but women do tend to have more issues with pelvic pain, including pelvic-related back pain. Bodily changes during pregnancy are an especially common culprit.

If you’re dealing with pain in your lower back or pelvic area — or both — call Ability Physiotherapy to schedule an appointment. We’ll help determine the actual source of your pain so you can find lasting relief.

Understanding the Causes of Lower Back and Pelvic Pain

Lower back pain is widespread and has several potential causes, including herniated discs, sprains and strains, poor posture, and spinal arthritis — not to mention various contributing factors like poor posture or muscular weakness.

But if that pain spreads into your pelvic area, there may be something else going on. In fact, lower back pain without a clear underlying cause often stems from dysfunction in the pelvic area, such as the following:

Impaired pelvic floor

Did you know that your pelvic floor muscles make up part of your core, which supports and stabilizes your spine? If your pelvic floor muscles are weakened or impaired, your back muscles have to do more work to compensate — setting you up for muscle strains or other injuries.

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction

The sacroiliac joint is the joint that links the spine to the pelvis, so it should be surprising that if something’s wrong there, you may feel pain in both your lower back and your pelvic area. Arthritis, injury, and pregnancy can all cause issues in the sacroiliac joint.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy itself is a common cause of pain throughout the lower back and pelvic area. There are two main reasons for this:

• Hormonal changes cause your ligaments to become looser in preparation for childbirth, which puts strain on your lower back and pelvis.
  
• Your center of gravity changes, and your growing baby can force your hips back at an awkward angle, leading to pain.

Helping You Find Relief, No Matter the Source

When it comes to pain in your lower back and pelvis, the first step our therapists take is to identify the source of your pain. That way, we can provide the customized treatment you need to resolve the pain at its root rather than merely treating symptoms.

We’ll begin with a comprehensive evaluation. Our therapists provide a welcoming, discreet space where you can freely share your symptoms — including pelvic-related symptoms that might feel embarrassing. Make sure you share…

• The exact location of your pain
• The pain’s sensations — is it burning? Dull? Aching?
• When do you feel pain? Is it persistent? Do you mostly notice it when you wake up?
• Any restrictions in range of motion you might be experiencing
• Any pelvic-related symptoms you might be experiencing, such as incontinence or sexual dysfunction

Once we’ve reviewed your symptoms and taken a full health history, we’ll conduct an in-depth physical evaluation, including running several movement screens. All this information helps us determine whether or not your pain is rooted in your lower back, pelvic area, or somewhere else — and that helps us develop your personalized treatment plan.