Print Overview Sacroiliac joints Enlarge image Close Sacroiliac joints Sacroiliac joints The sacroiliac joints link the pelvis and lower spine. These two joints are made up of the bony structure above the tailbone, known as the sacrum, and the top part of the pelvis, known as the ilium. The sacroiliac joints support the weight of the upper body when standing. Sacroiliitis (say-kroe-il-e-I-tis) is a painful condition that affects one or both sacroiliac joints. These joints sit where the lower spine and pelvis meet. Sacroiliitis can cause pain and stiffness in the buttocks or lower back, and the pain might go down one or both legs. Standing or sitting for a long time or climbing stairs can make the pain worse. Sacroiliitis can be hard to diagnose. It can be mistaken for other causes of low back pain. It's been linked to a group of diseases that cause inflammatory arthritis of the spine. Treatment might involve physical therapy and medicines.Products & ServicesA Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health BookNewsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital EditionShow more products from Mayo Clinic SymptomsThe pain of sacroiliitis most often occurs in the buttocks and lower back. It also can affect the legs, groin and even the feet. The pain can improve with movement. The following can make sacroiliitis pain worse: Sleeping or sitting for a long time. Standing a long time. Having more weight on one leg than the other. Stair climbing. Running. Taking large steps when moving forward. Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview. 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Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesCauses for sacroiliac joint issues include: Injury. A sudden impact, such as a motor vehicle accident or a fall, can damage the sacroiliac joints. Arthritis. Wear-and-tear arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis, can occur in sacroiliac joints. So can a type of arthritis that affects the spine, known as ankylosing spondylitis. Pregnancy. The sacroiliac joints loosen and stretch for childbirth. The added weight and changed way of walking during pregnancy can stress these joints. Infection. Rarely, a sacroiliac joint can become infected. Risk factorsCertain conditions may increase the risk of swelling in the sacroiliac joints. Inflammatory forms of arthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, may increase the risk of sacroiliitis. Inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, also may increase the risk. Changes that happen to the body during pregnancy and childbirth also can stress the sacroiliac joints and cause pain and swelling. ComplicationsSacroiliitis can cause difficulty with certain actions, such as bending, lifting, staying in one position and rising from being seated. The ongoing pain of sacroiliitis can lead to depression and loss of sleep. By Mayo Clinic Staff Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Feb. 22, 2024 Print Show references Frontera WR, et al. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction. In: Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 25, 2022. Wu DT, et al. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis) in adults. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 25, 2022. Ringold S, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Therapeutic approaches for non-systemic polyarthritis, sacroiliitis , and enthesitis. Arthritis Care & Research. 2019; doi:10.1002/acr.23870. Slobodin G, et al. Sacroiliitis — Early diagnosis is key. Journal of Inflammation Research. 2018; doi:10.2147/JIR.S149494. Related Sacroiliac injection Sacroiliac joints Associated Procedures CT scan MRI Spinal fusion Ultrasound X-ray Show more associated procedures Products & Services A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic SacroiliitisSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview. Email Address 1 ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Subscribe! Thank you for subscribing! You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry