Pelvis Rotations and Upslips

Everyone falls…eventually. A bad fall can knock the pelvis bones out of alignment, and the result can be sciatica and unrelenting back pain. To quickly assess whether the pelvis is aligned, therapists compare the tops of the left and right ilia (iliac crests) and the ASIS to see if they are level. Unfortunately, the higher of the left and right ilia is commonly referred to as an upslip.

In fact, rather than one ilium being high, the other may be low due to an ilium rotation. To complicate matters, the iliac crests may be level when standing, but not when seated. More investigation is required to determine the cause of the discrepancy. Scan reports are extremely useful, but not sufficient. If the therapist does not do any physical assessment, including palpation for muscle tension, then the treatment is going to be a shot in the dark.

Myoskeletal AlignmentMadeline McBrideMarch 30, 2023Dr. Wolf Schamberger, pelvis misalignment, therapy for pelvis alignment, Ilium rotation, sciatica, pelvic upslip, training in pelvis alignment, help for pelvis misalignment, back pain and alignment, functional scoliosis Comments

The Thigh Muscle-Back Pain Connection

Pelvis rotation is a frequently overlooked cause of lower back pain and sciatica. Single or double-sided pelvis rotations in an anterior direction cause the iliac crest bone(s) to dig into the lower back. The iliac crest bones compress the sciatic nerve exiting the lumbar vertebrae. Lordosis (swayback) is a visual indicator of an anterior pelvis rotation.

If one iliac crest is elevated, the lumbar vertebrae transverse processes tilt like a see-saw and may exert pressure on the sciatic nerves exiting the spinal column above or below.

Either way, the result is sciatic pain that may radiate into the left and/or right buttock and refer down the leg.

Myoskeletal AlignmentMadeline McBrideJanuary 1, 2021pelvis alignment, training in pelvis alignment, therapy for pelvis alignment, Dr. Wolf Schamberger, alignment specialist, allignment expert, ilium rotation, upslips, back pain and alignment, what causes back pain, causes of back pain, scar tissue and ilium rotation, can scar tissue cause pelvis misalignment Comment