(Newswire.net — April 15, 2020) — If you have been diagnosed with Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction, you are probably considering all available options to alleviate the pain it is causing and make your everyday life easier. One of the simpler solutions to reducing pain and improving posture is wearing a Sacroiliac belt.
The Sacroiliac Joint can suffer damage through trauma due to a sports injury, during pregnancy or an untreated prolonged inflammation. Once the joint is damaged, people experience different degrees and types of pain in the lower back, hip and even down the leg, ranging from dull aching to sharp stabbing pain.
This makes going through with usual activities a very difficult and challenging experience. Although maintaining a correct posture is of critical importance, it can seem near impossible, due to the severe pain a damaged Sacroiliac Joint can cause.
If you are unsure whether you should buy an SI belt, below are several ways it can help anyone suffering from an inflamed or damaged Sacroiliac Joint:
1. It Can Reduce Joint Pain
The SI belt is designed to limit the range of movement of the Sacroiliac Joint by providing support to the ligaments responsible for the complex movements of the joint. Worn tightly around one’s hips, the belt reduces the amount of stress the joint is exposed to and lessens the pain caused by the movements of an injured Sacroiliac joint.
For this reason, if you have been diagnosed with a dysfunctional Sacroiliac joint, most doctors will suggest wearing an SI belt and will advise you on how to use it properly to maximize its effectiveness, as well as on how long you should wear it during the day.
2. It Can Prevent Re-Injury
Since the pain associated with an injured Sacroiliac joint is most commonly worse on one side of the body, most people try to compensate for this when moving, and adopt improper locomotion patterns. These result in increased instability during the healing process, which can lead to suffering further injuries to the joints.
By alleviating pain and limiting movement, as well as providing stability and support to your back, hips, and legs, an SI belt can go a long way in preventing injury during your everyday activities, whether at home or work.
3. It Can Improve Your Functional Performance
Similar to preventing injury, the support and pain relief provided by an SI belt will help your continued ability to perform different tasks that are a part of your routine or hobby.
4. It Can Help With Sacroiliac Joint Inflammation
Apart from injury, pain in the lower back can often be caused by swelling and inflammation in the sacroiliac joint. In this case, an SI belt can also be of great help.
Although they are not designed to reduce inflammation or swelling in the SI joint, an SI belt can supplement other anti-inflammatory therapies and medication by stabilizing the lower back area and reducing pain and discomfort.
5. It Can Improve Your Posture
More often than not, people suffering from a dysfunctional sacroiliac joint adopt an incorrect posture due to the severe discomfort caused by their condition, which can be detrimental to their general health as well as their recovery process.
A good SI belt is designed to keep the hip and pelvic joint stable and provide compression to the lower back area, which makes it easier to assume a correct posture and avoid further adverse effects on the joints and ligaments.
However, the most important thing for the SI belt to give you results is to continue wearing it. Although it may be inconvenient to have it on all the time, it simply won’t work if you are not committed to keeping it on for as long as your doctor has recommended.
Another thing to definitely keep in mind is that it is not supposed to cause you any discomfort or pain while you are wearing it. If at any time you feel like you can’t get comfortable with it, you would do well to consult your physician as soon as possible.
Wearing an SI Belt is Safe
As long as you consult your physician regarding the options available to you, wearing an SI belt has no drawbacks. Since it is designed to provide support to your ligaments only, there is no risk of developing muscle weakness in the lower back area.
The support provided to the ligaments is meant to reduce the stress on the sacroiliac joint and speed up and improve the healing process for the injured ligaments.
How to Choose an SI Belt?
Since an SI belt is worn for up to 23 hours per day for several months, choosing an SI belt is an important decision and investment. All the time you are going to spend wearing the belt and counting on it to help you with the pain during your daily routines should be enough to convince you that you want the perfect SI belt for your needs.
There are several factors to take into consideration when shopping for an SI belt, and the most important ones concern your daily activities.
If you expect to move around a lot working or performing other activities, you should consider lightweight belts with extra support to make sure the belt stays in place and doesn’t hinder your movement too much, while keeping enough pressure on the sacroiliac joint.
On the other hand, if you spend most of your time at home or office, you should probably go for extra comfort and a belt with a larger coverage area and more elasticity.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has answered any questions you might have had about the benefits of wearing an SI belt and why you should consider buying one if you have problems with your lower back and sacroiliac joints.
However, the bottom line is to always consult a medical professional regarding the use of any supportive equipment, as your physician is best qualified to give you the best possible recommendation for your particular case.