Sacroiliac joint pain syndrome in active patients: a look behind the pain.

The bones, ligaments, muscles, and nerves of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) may be damaged by direct trauma or by smaller, repetitive stresses. Injury to many complex adjacent structures can refer pain to the SIJ, and SIJ pathology can refer pain elsewhere. Because of the varied and overlapping presentation of symptoms, a precise diagnosis of SIJ pain syndrome is often challenging. Physicians who recognize the condition early and offer prompt treatment (eg, physical therapy, corrective exercises with mobilization, and, if necessary, corticosteroid injection) will make a definite contribution to improving their patients' athletic performance.