Managing Pelvic Girdle Pain

Pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy and or postpartum is very common and…. not fun! We hope these tips will help you manage your symptoms!

What is Pelvic Girdle pain?

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is the term given to pain around the pelvis like pubic symphysis dysfunction, SIJ dysfunction or sciatica 45% of pregnant women will have some form of PGP during pregnancy and 24% postpartum

The pelvic girdle is a ring of bones at the base of your spine, it is constructed of ligaments and muscular attachments that provides the stability needed to support the trunk while we move.

During pregnancy and the early weeks postpartum the muscles and ligaments surrounding the pelvis may have more joint laxity (thanks relaxin) than normal and this can lead to instability in the pelvis which is what can cause the pain. The pain varies from person to person from mild to stop you in your tracks excruciating - it can be constant or spontaneous.

Here are some ways to manage PGP

• Stabilise your pelvis: think about your posture when moving around or changing position, think about engaging core, pelvic floor and glutes (sometimes a support band can be used to help with stablisiation of the pelvis and keeping the structure together)

• Avoid single leg: Try to avoid standing on one leg and doing single leg exercises (lunges, stairs, long walks) instead work on strengthening the glutes with two feet grounded (hip bridges narrow shallow squats, leg press), adductors (squeezing a cushion/ pilates ball between your legs), core and pelvic floor muscles.

• Use pillows! To minimise pain during the evening and while sleeping placing a pillow between your legs (a long pregnancy pillow that can go from your pelvis down to your ankles is ideal) will help with keeping your pelvis stable

• Modify your daily movements: Modify how you get in and out of the car/bed try rolling (sitting to the side) onto your side keeping your ankles together using your upper body to help lift you up

• Avoid high impact movement: When it comes to exercise avoid high intensity/ jumping, be mindful of going for long walks as this too can aggravate PGP. Exercise in water is a great option if it is accessible to you as being in the water takes pressure off the joints and ligaments

If you're struggling with PGP and it’s affecting your everyday life please reach out to us we can help you working in partnership with a women’s health physio! Check out our packages here.

We also have a #pelvicgirdlepain topic in our membership where members can search this topic and find PGP friendly workouts!

Ren & Jen x