Everything You Need to know About SIJ Pain

Pregnancy is already hard enough as it is. Now you’re feeling pain in your lower back? You feel like you can’t catch a break.  Sacroiliac joint pain can be treated successfully with physical therapy. In this post I will give you the lowdown on everything you need to know.

Your SI joint is where your two hip bones meet your sacrum. It is a very strong joint and has thick ligaments around it. It’s a really stable joint in general but when you’re pregnant, it becomes more flexible.

One reason why the SI joint likes to cause issues during pregnancy is because of our hormone fluctuations. During pregnancy, our body produces a hormone called relaxin. It does exactly what it sounds like it does. It tells our ligaments and connective tissue to relax and soften to help make room for our baby to grow and come out. Since your pelvis is now less stable, your SI joint can start to act up.

Our posture also changes during pregnancy and causes our gait, or the way we walk to change. You may notice that you waddle from side to side when you walk. This is because your hips muscles are shorter and less effective. This puts a lot more pressure on our SI joint. On top of that, your pelvis position from any previous births can also be a factor in this type of pain.

Most of my patients with SI joint pain describe it as pain  on one or both sides of the low back that gets worse when changing positions. Some may describe the pain as super intense while others may describe it as a consistent, dull ache. My patients with SI joint pain typically have a low tolerance to do anything that involves standing, walking or sitting. They usually feel like they need to change positions frequently and can’t find a comfortable position to hang out in.

The first thing you need to do to fix this pain is to look for a good physical therapist in your area. For information on in person or virtual visits with me, please click here.

My personal experience

During my second pregnancy, I had SI joint pain on my left side that started pretty early on. I felt it the most when I would lay down on my back. It ended up affecting my tailbone as well. Being that I was working in an office with other amazing pelvic floor PTs, I was able to get help at work . My pain was completely gone within two weeks of physical therapy and maintaining a better strength program. These are not typical results that everyone will see, but it definitely is possible if you put the time and effort in.

The next thing you need to know is that you must treat the root of the problem. Strength training is a must. You need to work your core, your back, and your glutes. Make sure you’re following a well rounded exercise program during pregnancy. 

The next thing you can do is buy a Serola belt. This is a temporary fix, but can definitely help you find some relief. You can find it in my Amazon storefront here. You can also schedule a virtual consultation with me to ensure that you are putting it on correctly and not having it and a position that’s causing more pain. 

Don’t forget to keep moving. Moving lubricates our joints and keeps them feeling good. However, with something like SI joint pain you want to make sure you’re not overdoing it because you can also aggravate the joints. With this issue, you’ll want to avoid asymmetrical movements, like lunging or kneeling . 

I really hope this post helps and you can always reach out to me if you need more help.