Advice Please for Sacro Iliac Joints Problem

[Louisa1840]

Hello all you Wonderful, Knowledgeable People!

Some of you may remember a few weeks ago my hammock rope snapped depositing me HARD onto bricks? Since then, apart from being very stiff around the lower back area, it appeared to be getting better with no acute injury.

However, a week ago I had enormous difficulty walking, getting up steps etc. I have visited a private physio because I was desperate for an immediate appointment (you have to wait weeks for a public appt).

She thinks it is my sacro iliac joints and can't say whether it would be a result of the hammock accident or not. She also wondered if it is because I have tapered to 6 from 6 and a half over the last month? She has given me exercises to do. I have also bought a back support which is helping though I know not to rely on it too much because I need to strengthen my own muscle girdle.

I am sure this is not a flare since I have no other flare type symptoms. I have resisted increasing my pred because 6 is the lowest I have been in four years of having PMR . BUT I would do anything to be able to walk properly again...

What do people think?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

For me it would be a muscular reaction to the fall - like whiplash injury. The muscles tighten, even going into spasm, to protect themselves from further "damage" and that can make the sacroiliac joints tighter and they become irritated and inflamed.

I have discovered that a one off 800mg flooding dose of ibuprofen and sitting with a hot water bottle over the stiff/painful area around the s/i joints really makes a difference.

Did you have x-rays after the fall to rule out any mechanical damage to spine or pelvis?

[Louisa1840 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you so much for your reply Pro. I didn't have any xrays done as there didn't seem to be any acute damage. What you say about the sacroiliac joints becoming inflamed makes sense. I already take 15mh meloxicam daily for inflammatory arthritis so I may up the dose. I have already discovered the comfort of a hot water bottle and it is my constant companion. I have just done the second set of exercises from the physio and it feels a bit stronger. I have also pulled out of any immediate commitments over the next week or so to relax me mentally. Thank you as ever for your expertise and readiness to share your own knowledge and PMR journey on this wonderful forum.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Louisa1840]

It was quite a mechanism of injury - I'd have though an x-ray at least was appropriate!