As a competitive rower, you're used to the strain that it causes on your lower back. But lately, you've been feeling a jolt of pain that simply won't go away. There's a chance that you may have injured your sacroiliac joint and need to see a chiropractor.

What Is The Sacroiliac Joint?

The sacroiliac joint is located on your lower back near the sacrum and the ilium (hence the name). Excessive pressure and repetitive motion (such as rowing) causes the joint to become inflamed and may even cause it to pop out of joint. It is a commonly missed problem because it so often mimics the symptoms of other problems, such as a herniated disc.

Given your history as a rower, your chiropractor or doctor is more likely to diagnose a sacroiliac joint problem. That's because it so heavily impacts rowers, especially competitive ones.

Why Does It Impact Rowers?

One study, performed on the United States Senior National Rowing Team, found that 54.1% of all the rowers on the team had dysfunction in this joint. Most commonly, it impacted sweep rowers (66%), though scullers were impacted at a high level (34%).

Why does this problem so heavily impact rowers? Just think of the process of rowing and the location of the sacroiliac joint. Bending over to row, pull, and drag the boat puts a lot of pressure on the sacroiliac joint and the strain of competitive rowing only makes the situation worse.

What Treatments Are Available?

When it comes time to treat your sacroiliac joint dysfunction, you must stop rowing immediately and visit a chiropractor. If you don't stop rowing, you'll only exasperate the condition and only decrease your rowing efficiency. This simple technique requires you to visit a chiropractor, lie down on your side, and let the chiropractor:

• Flex your top knee and raise it toward your chest
• Locate your sacroiliac joint and apply pressure
• Push on your top shoulder to create tension
• Press your knee towards the floor for more tension

Beyond this simple chiropractic technique lies a few simple flexing poses, such as forward bends and twists. However, these techniques should only be considered preventative measures, as performing them with actual joint pain may make it worse.

You shouldn't get back behind the paddle until your chiropractor, such as from Citrus Chiropractic Group, has given you the okay. Missing several competitions may be a hard pill to swallow, but it's worth it. Otherwise, you may cause damage that could end your rowing career.