Out of Joint

The sacroiliac joint—where the pelvis and sacrum meet—is where many yogis experience lower back pain. But you can resolve the discomfort in the same place it started: on the yoga mat.

By Judith Lasater

When it comes to twists, the only way to prevent further injury and discomfort is to meticulously move the pelvis and sacrum together. I learned this the hard way. I ignited my sacroiliac pain in large part by the way I was practicing seated twists. I was meticulous to keep my pelvis firmly on the floor when I twisted. This had the effect of stressing my sacroiliac joint as my spine was twisted strongly in one direction, while my pelvis "stayed behind." Yet I was able to use these asanas to my advantage. By focusing on allowing my pelvis to move with my spine in all poses—preventing the separation of my pelvis and sacroiliac joint—I "cured" my sacroiliac.

Another popular method of teaching and practicing twists is to hold the pelvis still and then use the arms as a force "against" the spine. This can be a lightening rod for sacroiliac pain. The popular pose Marichyasana III (Marichi's Pose) is an example of this, where practitioners often use the arm to create the torque necessary for the twist instead of twisting from the pelvis. It's better to create as much of the twist as you can before using your arm—this will decrease the possibility of separation and strain at the S-I joint.

Popular forward bending poses—such as Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose), Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose), and Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose)—also can be tricky. Remember that sitting in and of itself "unlocks" the sacrum and the ilium. If additional stress is then placed on the joint, discomfort and/or injury could occur. To avoid this, you need to be mindful of a few minor details while doing the poses. For example, in Janu Sirsasana, the critical side of the asana is the one with the bent knee. As you begin to bend forward, the spine moves while the pelvis and sacrum tend to remain behind, especially on the side with the knee drawn back. This kind of separation is, by definition, sacroiliac dysfunction.

When you practice Janu Sirsasana, be sure the pelvis moves forward with the spine. If you strongly bring the bent-knee side of the pelvis forward, it will help to unite the joint and heal the problem. During a therapeutic period, you may want to practice the pose with the foot touching the opposite knee instead of the inner thigh to further reduce the torque .

Both Baddha Konasana and Upavistha Konasana unlock the sacroiliac joint and potentially strain the transverse ligaments of the sacrum, particularly if you bend forward. If you have S-I problems, it's wise to skip these poses during acute flare-ups of pain. At other times, place a firm, rolled blanket under the outer thighs in Baddha Konasana, especially if you are supple. The blanket reduces the stress that the weight of the thighs places on the S-I joint. Supporting the outer thighs is also good practice for restorative or relaxation poses. Holding these poses for long periods can aggravate already stretched-out ligaments and worsen S-I pain. And under no circumstances should you push down on your knees or place extra weight on them in order to increase the stretch.

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