Mobilization for Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Rolled up towel technique

Using 2 rolled up towels placed correctly under the pelvis, it is possible to encourage the offending rotated ilia to return to its correct position.
Patient should be lying in the prone position with one towel located under the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine (ASIS) and the other towel lower down under the opposite Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine (AIIS), which are bony landmarks on the Ilia.
The patients body weight will encourage the ilias to rotate and if this is accompanied by soft tissue massage work to the low back and gluteal muscles this will further encourage rotated correction.
In order to place the towels in the correct position the correct diagnosis has to be made. See Diagnostic Tests. The wrong diagnosis will make things worse.

Articulating the sacroiliac

The therapist places one hand under the patient located across the sacrum and ilia joint. This is in preparation to feel the quality of movement between the 2 bones.
Using the leg as a lever the knee can be gently rotated round in circles to mobilize the SI joint. In order to engage the joint you may have to use more hip flexion and an element of compression whilst rotating the limb. ( image 2 )
Movement can be detected with your hand across the joint whilst mobilization occurs. This should continue until quality of movement is detected across the SI Joint.

Articulations and Manipulations of the Ilia Sacroiliac joint should only be carried out by a suitably qualified Professional.

Straight leg mobilization

With the leg straight, the therapist uses their bodyweight to mobilize the leg forwards and backwards.
This helps to improve mobility of the sacroiliac joint.

Image 1 - With one towel under the ASIS and one on the other AIIS gentle presssure or massage techniques can be applied.