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Physiotherapy That Restores Comfort to Your Lower Back
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Do you feel pain on one side of your lower back or buttocks?
Does your discomfort increase when standing up, climbing stairs, walking, rolling in bed, or getting out of the car?
Are you struggling with stiffness around your hip, pelvis, or lower back?
These symptoms may be connected to irritation or reduced control around the sacroiliac joint. At Genesis Physiotherapy, our approach to sacroiliac joint pain treatment in Calgary begins with understanding how your symptoms affect your daily life. From there, we create a personalized rehabilitation plan focused on improving comfort, stability, movement, and confidence.
The Sacroiliac Joints, commonly called the SI joints, are located where the sacrum at the bottom of the spine connects with the left and right sides of the pelvis.
These joints do not move as freely as the shoulder or hip, but they still play an important role in:
SI joint pain may develop after a sudden injury or build gradually from repeated strain. In many cases, several contributing factors are involved.
Common causes include:
Genesis Physiotherapy Calgary offers treatment options that may be combined according to your symptoms, movement needs, daily responsibilities, and recovery goals.
Irritation or altered movement of the SI joint producing localized lower back and pelvic pain, often worsened by standing, walking, or transitional movements.
SI joint irritation following a fall, direct impact, or motor vehicle accident affecting the pelvis or lower back.
Gradual wear and tear within the joint contributing to chronic, lower-grade discomfort, often accompanied by morning stiffness.
Pain resulting from hormonal ligament changes and postural shifts during pregnancy that affect the stability of the sacroiliac joints.
Excessive movement within the joint, often related to ligament laxity, contributing to a sense of pelvic instability.
Pain that mimics sciatica, spreading from the pelvis into the buttock and thigh, requiring careful assessment to distinguish from true lumbar nerve root irritation.
Tightness or irritation of the piriformis muscle contributing to both sacroiliac discomfort and sciatic nerve irritation due to their close anatomical relationship.
Altered mechanical loading on the SI joints following spinal fusion or other lumbar procedures.
pain developing from repetitive, uneven movement patterns, such as favouring one leg or prolonged standing on hard or uneven surfaces.
Physiotherapy Calgary may be covered fully or partly through extended health benefits, WCB Alberta, motor vehicle accident insurance, or private plans. Coverage varies between policies.
Your physiotherapist evaluates the sacroiliac joint alongside the lumbar spine, hip, and surrounding muscles to confirm the most likely source of your symptoms and rule out overlapping conditions.
Joint mobilization helps restore normal movement at the sacroiliac joint, while soft tissue release and myofascial techniques ease tightness in the gluteal muscles, piriformis, and lower back muscles that often accompany SI joint pain.
Correcting uneven weight-bearing patterns, improving gait mechanics, and addressing postural habits during sitting and standing all help reduce the asymmetrical loading that frequently aggravates SI joint pain.
A supportive sacroiliac belt or taping technique can help provide external pelvic stability during flare-ups or higher-demand activities, often used alongside active rehabilitation rather than as a standalone solution.
Aquatic physiotherapy is a valuable option for sacroiliac joint pain, using buoyancy to reduce load through the pelvis and lower back, allowing more comfortable movement and strengthening, particularly helpful during pregnancy-related pelvic pain or more irritable presentations.
Dry needling and acupuncture help address muscle tension in the piriformis, glutes, and surrounding hip muscles, while massage therapy supports overall comfort and circulation. Electrotherapy, including TENS, can assist with pain management during more painful phases of treatment.
Your physiotherapist will guide you on safe movement strategies, positioning for sleep and sitting, pacing daily activity, and a home exercise program designed to support your specific presentation and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
Alongside treatment, simple daily strategies may help reduce irritation:
At Genesis Physiotherapy, your care is built around how SI joint pain affects your real life.
Physiotherapy is often covered under extended health benefit plans, although coverage varies by provider.
Before your first visit, check:
Our administrative team helps with receipts and direct billing where available.
Sacroiliac joint pain can be confusing and persistent, but it responds very well to the right physiotherapy approach. Let us help you understand what’s happening in your pelvis and guide you with comfortable, confident movement.
Genesis Physiotherapy provides personalized sacroiliac joint pain treatment in Calgary to help you improve stability, restore movement, and return to the activities that matter to you.
Contact Genesis Physiotherapy today to book your sacroiliac joint assessment in Calgary.
Call us at 403-453-2420 or visit us online to schedule your appointment.
The sacroiliac joint, or SI joint, connects the sacrum at the bottom of the spine to the pelvis. It transfers force between the upper and lower body during standing, walking, lifting, and other daily movements.
Sacroiliac joint pain refers to discomfort linked to irritation, stiffness, or reduced control around one or both SI joints. Pain is often felt in the lower back, buttocks, hip, groin, or pelvic region.
Not always. SI joint pain may feel similar to lower-back pain, but it usually comes from the area where the spine meets the pelvis. A proper assessment helps identify which structures may be contributing to your symptoms.
Yes, although many people feel pain mainly on one side. Both SI joints may become irritated when movement, posture, pregnancy, injury, or muscle weakness affects the pelvis.
Not necessarily. Many people improve with appropriate treatment, exercise, activity changes, and better movement control. Recovery depends on the cause, symptom duration, and individual health factors
Yes. Genesis Physiotherapy provides personalized sacroiliac joint pain treatment in Calgary focused on reducing discomfort, improving pelvic stability, restoring movement, and supporting daily activity.
SI joint pain may result from falls, Motor Vehicle Accidents, repetitive lifting, pregnancy, prolonged sitting, uneven movement, hip weakness, lower-back problems, or repeated stress through the pelvis.
Yes. Collision forces may strain the pelvis, lower back, hips, ligaments, and surrounding muscles, leading to pain and reduced movement around the SI joint.
Yes. Hormonal changes, altered posture, increased body weight, and changes in core and pelvic stability may contribute to SI joint discomfort during pregnancy.
Yes. Postpartum weakness, altered movement, pelvic floor changes, or reduced core and hip support may allow symptoms to continue after delivery.
Posture may play a role, especially when prolonged sitting, uneven standing, or repeatedly leaning onto one leg increases stress through the pelvis.
Yes. The gluteal muscles support pelvic stability during movement like walking, stairs, lifting, and single-leg activity. Weakness may reduce support and increase strain around the SI joint.
A structural or functional leg-length difference may change how weight travels through the pelvis. This can contribute to uneven movement and irritation in some people.
Yes. Physiotherapy may help reduce pain, improve hip and lower-back mobility, build pelvic stability, correct movement habits, and support a return to daily activity.
Treatment may include manual therapy, joint mobilization, strengthening, mobility exercises, gait retraining, postural education, acupuncture, dry needling, massage therapy, and home exercises.
Manual therapy may help reduce stiffness, ease muscle guarding, and improve movement around the lower back, pelvis, and hips. It is usually combined with exercise.
Spinal or joint manipulation may be considered when clinically appropriate. Your physiotherapist will evaluate your current condition and determine whether this technique is suitable.
The Graston Technique will be used when soft tissue restriction or muscle tightness around the lower back, hips, or gluteal region contributes to discomfort.
Acupuncture and dry needling support pain relief and reduce muscle tension or trigger points around the lower back, hips, gluteal muscles, and pelvis.
Yes. Massage therapy may help reduce tension and guarding in muscles around the lower back, buttocks, hips, and upper legs, supporting more comfortable movement.
Many people can continue working with temporary changes to sitting, lifting, standing, or workload. Recommendations depend on your symptoms and job demands.
Often, yes. Exercise may need to be modified while symptoms settle. Your physiotherapist can guide safe strengthening, walking, gym activity, or sport progression.
Running may increase symptoms if hip strength, pelvic control, footwear, training load, or running mechanics are contributing to repeated stress.
Keep the weight close to your body, avoid twisting while lifting, use your hips and knees, and distribute weight evenly. Your physiotherapist can teach task-specific techniques.
It may help when pelvic floor tension, weakness, pregnancy, postpartum changes, or poor core coordination contribute to pelvic symptoms.
Long-term prevention may include strengthening, improving hip mobility, varying posture, using safer lifting habits, pacing activity, and following a consistent home exercise program.
Recovery time varies based on the cause, symptom duration, strength, activity demands, overall health, and consistency with treatment. Some people improve quickly, while others need gradual rehabilitation.
Common symptoms include pain near one side of the lower back, deep buttock pain, hip or groin discomfort, pelvic stiffness, and pain during walking, stairs, standing, or rolling in bed.
Yes. Pain may spread into the buttock or upper thigh. Symptoms extending below the knee, especially with numbness, tingling, or weakness, may suggest nerve involvement and should be assessed.
Standing from a chair places a load through the pelvis and hips. If the SI joint or surrounding muscles are irritated or poorly controlled, this movement may trigger pain.
Yes. Rolling in bed, lying on one side, or keeping the pelvis in one position for a long time may increase discomfort. Pillow positioning and sleep modifications may help.
Climbing stairs requires single-leg strength and pelvic control. Weakness or poor coordination in the gluteal, hip, or core muscles can increase strain around the SI joint.
Seek urgent care for new bowel or bladder changes, numbness around the groin, rapidly worsening weakness, fever, unexplained weight loss, or severe discomfort and pain after significant trauma.
Your physiotherapist reviews your symptoms, health history, injuries, work demands, activity level, and daily limitations. The physical assessment may include posture, walking, hip movement, lower-back mobility, strength, balance, and pelvic control.
Your physiotherapist uses a combination of symptom history, movement testing, joint tests, strength assessment, and functional tasks. No single test is used by itself to make a decision.
Not always. Many cases can be assessed clinically. Imaging may be recommended if symptoms follow significant trauma, do not improve, or suggest another medical condition.
Yes. Both may cause buttock or leg discomfort. Sciatica usually involves irritation of a nerve and may cause numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness farther down the leg.
Yes. Hip arthritis, bursitis, tendon irritation, muscle strain, or reduced hip mobility may cause pain near the buttock or pelvis and should be considered during assessment.
Yes. Disc-related pain may affect the lower back, buttocks, or leg. Your physiotherapist assesses spinal movement and neurological signs to help identify the likely source.
Genesis Physiotherapy uses your assessment findings, symptoms, activity needs, work demands, and goals to create a personalized plan that is adjusted as your movement and comfort improve.
Exercises may include core stabilization, gluteal strengthening, hip mobility, pelvic control, balance work, walking practice, and functional lifting exercises.
Gentle stretching may help when tight muscles are contributing to symptoms. However, excessive stretching may not suit everyone, especially when instability is present.
Brief activity modification may help, but prolonged rest can increase stiffness and weakness. Gentle movement is usually encouraged within a comfortable range.
A pelvic belt may provide short-term support in selected cases, including pregnancy-related discomfort or pelvic instability. It should be fitted and used with professional guidance.
Custom orthotics may be considered when foot mechanics or lower-limb alignment contribute to uneven loading through the pelvis. A foot and gait assessment helps determine suitability.
Side sleeping with a pillow between the knees or lying on your back with support under the knees may reduce pelvic strain. The good position depends on your symptoms.
Heat may relax tight muscles, while cold may help during an irritated flare-up. Your physiotherapist can guide which option fits your symptoms and recovery stage.
Look for a clinic that provides a detailed assessment, personalized exercise, hands-on care, movement education, and treatment based on your daily needs. Genesis Physiotherapy offers individualized SI joint physiotherapy in Calgary.
Many extended health benefit plans include physiotherapy coverage. Annual limits, referral requirements, and direct billing options vary, so check your policy before treatment.
At Genesis Physiotherapy, you can expect a thorough assessment, clear explanations, personalized treatment, progressive exercises, and practical guidance focused on reducing pain, improving pelvic stability, and restoring everyday movement.
