Uncomfortable "void" feeling in SI jont

Hi all,


I'm hoping someone can help me out. For one week I had right SI joint issues. It felt stuck. I did some glute med and min clam exercises for it as well as glute bridging, and that helped a bit. Sometimes I would get a gratifying "click" and it would feel better for a moment. I also went to a chiro who had me lay on my stomach and raise each leg behind me. She said that my right side was really stuck and adjusted me. A few days later I was still feeling stuck, but then something odd happened:


I was walking and suddenly all of the "stuck" feeling I had vanished and was replaced with this insanely uncomfortable "void" feeling. That's the best way I can describe it: a "void" or "gap" in my SI joint. It's as if something should be touching there but it's not. There is no pain and no burning, but because of this void/space/gap feeling, my gluteal muscles don't seem to be firing and have a started to stiffen up. Also, in the void, it almost feels cold. I know that sounds weird, but that's what it feels like.


I'm at a loss was to what this "void" feeling is. Could my sacrum be pushed inward and somehow need to be pulled back out? Is that even possible? I mean, I know the illium often rotates which causes pain, but could the illium be fine and the sacrum actually be pushed inward? The feeling is just so weird. I also feel like I have an anteriorly rotated pelvis AND a posterior rotated pelvis at the same time. By that I mean it feels like I'm standing and walking with my butt too far out in the back, but that when I feel my low back, it seems too flat.


I've done SI joint mobilization exercises (swaying bent legs side to side while laying on my back), but all I get is a loud click and release in my left SI joint, not the right one. When I'm standing or sitting (or laying down), if I squeeze my legs together, it's almost as if I can get something to move back into place on the right side, but I never quite have the strength or range to do so. It also feels as if someone would maybe pull my leg and then rotate it inward, that would help. I keep kicking my leg down in place in hopes to get it unstuck, but that hasn't worked (though it feels like it would if I could just get enough force). I've also done bird-dogs (where I extend my leg behind me while kneeling on all fours) and that seems to help the discomfort and almost get out the void feeling, but it doesn't work.


Also, I think the "void" feeling is in my SI because if I feel my two boney bumps on the back of my hips, I think these are my PSIS's and the "void" feeling is coming from right below my right one (though it feels deeper and not right at the surface).


If anyone has any advice for me, I'd really appreciate it. This is the most maddening feeling in the world.

PS: I had an MRI of my low back in July. I was having burning pain in the toes of both feet. Though the neurosurgeon who I saw said it wasn't a disc issue, he ordered the MRI for me because I begged him. Turns out he was right. He said my MRI was perfectly normal. No disc or spine issues. It also turns out that the burning in my toes was coming from tight calf muscles in both feet. Massage got rid of the feeling.

Hello, It does not sound to me your pelvis is aligned. I am not familiar with Chiropractor work but I am sure you might be helped by some one who can use MET (Muscle Energy Techniques) or SCS (Strain-Counterstrain). What you describe sounds like 1 problem is solved resulting in another problem. You have to understand that the pelvis as a whole is a puzzle of 3 boney parts; 2 Illium and 1 Sacrum. These parts can move around as they wish (well constrained by muscles and ligaments). In case these parts do not line up you will get all sorts of problems since muscles as well as ligaments will send out signals which might result in further changes/ mis alignments of the pelvis unit. Just an example of all the possibilities which might occur; an Illium might go up/ down, rotate forwards or backwards, flare in or out (these are the simple possibilities) A Sacrum might rotate, have a torsion, nutate and counter nutate. these possibilities give countless possibilities of what can go wrong. As an effect muscles have to respond to a change in their environment by e.g., go into spasm. In case muscles have changed their behaviour they will maintain a position even if this is the wrong position. I am under the impression the chiro just sorted the boney bits out (but did she look at all the land marks?)and did not give you support how to built up strength and coordination (I am under the impression they hardly ever do). In case the pelvis is not aligned you 1st get everything aligned so that muscles caan work under the right conditions, get a core exs programme and most likely a Gluts programme and go ahead. I personally do not beleive that in case the pelvis is out of line and has not fallen back in place within 2 weeks this will happen spontaniously or by exercise. But who am I to assume that is not possible? If you want to go the exercise route anyhow, try in supine a knee fall out and see if there is a difference in behaviour like range of movement, how does it feel, do you feel discomfort with 1 of them and most important are you underr the impression on 1side your whole pelvis seems to rotate ( you could feel this when you put your fingers on the ASIS (A landmark on the front of the pelvis above the hips). Best of all get yourself checked by a physio who is familiar to pelvis dysfunctions or an Osteopath.
To my opinion there is hardly ever just 1 misalignment, best of luck

Thanks for the reply. And I thought I'd give an update.

The "void" feeling has pretty much disappeared, but it's been replaced with an equally uncomfortable feeling. I pride myself on having very loose hamstrings. I stretch them ever night and have done so for years. But yesterday I felt a little jolt in my glute and then my right hamstring (the same side as my SI issue) suddenly tightened up.

It's been extremely tight for over 24 hours now. I think this is related to the SI joint, because just 36 hours ago my hamstring was as loose as could be. I stretch it now and it does no good, it just stays tight.

I saw another chiro today and, truthfully, he didn't spend much time with me. I felt like I was being rushed actually. However, he adjusted me and explained that my hamstring isn't actually tight or in spasm -- it's being pulled by an out of place SI joint and that makes it feel tight.

He adjusted me and I got maybe another inch or so of movement back in the hamstring. He then said that for two days don't do any exercises -- even core stuff -- and just do two simple stretches: single knee to chest and both knees to chest. He said these will help open the SI joint. He also said he wants to see me 2x a week and he was confident that by Christmas Eve (about 2 weeks away) I should be feeling fine.

My question is, do you guys agree with his assessment? And I should have asked him but I forgot to: if my SI is out and is pulling on my hamstring, does that mean my SI joint is rotated up or down?

Thanks for any replies.