The sacroiliac joint, usually called the SI joint, is the two-sided junction between the sacrum and the pelvis. The two joints lie a few inches to either side of the midline in the lower back. Because the joint is not designed to allow much movement, but comes under a great deal of stress in runners owing to high and repetitive impact loads, inflammation of the SI joint is common.
Causes
Inflammation of the SI joint after running most often results from trauma. So if you take a misstep on the run and land very hard, and feel sharp pain in the tailbone area, you may have injured this joint. You'll most likely feel the strongest pain in your lower back, but it can extend outward to your hips as well. According to "Running Times" magazine, you can normally continue running with mild inflammation of the SI joint, but serious cases require complete rest. Having weak core muscles sets runners up for SI joint injuries.
Initial Treatment
You can try one of several home remedies to treat inflammation of the SI joint before consulting a health professional. According to The Stretching Institute website, icing the lower back and taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory over-the-counter drugs can reduce inflammation. Your physician can give you dosage recommendations for these drugs. If you're able to run without significant discomfort, do a rigorous warm-up including ample stretching of the lower back first. Hip-strengthening exercises can help keep SI joint inflammation from becoming a chronic problem.
Further Treatment
If icing, stretching and medications are not curative, your doctor or a physical therapist can introduce more aggressive treatments. According to the Sportsinjuryclinic.net website, once your physician has determined that your inflammation is not the result of a longstanding imbalance or other preexisting condition, he may use electrotherapy, send you to a massage therapist or chiropractor, or refer you to a specialist for specific rehabilitation. He also may recommend an injection of cortisone to reduce inflammation directly.
Convalescence
While running on land is impossible with a severely inflamed SI joint, you can still keep aerobically fit as your condition heals, a process that may take several weeks or even months. Because of the absence of impact stress, pool running or aqua-jogging is an excellent option for runners with all sorts of leg injuries. Two-time Olympian and exercise physiologist Peter Pfitzinger says that at any given level of perceived effort your heart rate will be about 10 beats per minute lower in the pool than on land, so take this into account if you exercise by target pulse rate.
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