Expert: Dr. Paul Newhart - 11/2/2009

Question
QUESTION: I had an SI joint, side manipulation for my left SI joint. That SI joint has been hurting for approximately 10 weeks. It is stiff and causing me a lot of pain on my lower, left back and buttock.  This is my second adjustment.  Two days after my second adjustment, my right SI joint is aching.  It hasn't done that before.  Is that normal?  My next adjustment isn't until Monday and I am worried that I now have a new problem.  Any advice?

ANSWER: It is not normal to have pain lasting for days after an adjustment.  There may be soft tissue injury involved that needs to be addressed, and, if it is already being taken care of, further testing may be necessary to see if there are any underlying problems.

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QUESTION: If a chiropractor manipulates an SI joint that doesn't need to be manipulated, can that adjustment permanently damage that joint?  If so, what would be the symptoms for a permanently damaged SI joint?

Answer
If it didn't need to be adjusted, it would probably not damage the joint.  However, it may have caused soft tissue problems that would now need to be corrected (myofascial release is a good approach to the tissues in that area).  When the tissues are irritated, they can "lock" the joint, leading to pain