Pelvic pain can be debilitating and affect your quality of life throughout pregnancy into the postpartum period.
But, you do NOT need to be in pain as a requirement of pregnancy.
Many of us may have been told that the pain will just go away when we give birth, and there is nothing we can do it about it. But this could NOT be further from the truth.
We can find relief from pelvic pain!
4 Exercises to Find Relief from SPD or Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction (Front Pelvic Pain)
Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction (SPD) is a pain in the front side of the pelvis. The pain is typically increased during single leg movements, such as walking or pivoting, and with spreading the legs apart (abduction).
Common reasons for pelvic pain include:
- Pelvic asymmetry: the pelvic girdle halves are not aligned well or the positioning is off during movement
- Muscular coordination: the muscles that support the joints are not well coordinated and there is too much movement happening in the joints.
The following exercises focus on pelvic asymmetry and help to position the pelvic girdle to better support stabilization.
I will do these exercises if I have any SPD to help “reset” my pelvis and I typically find immediate relief shortly after doing these movements!
If you want to learn more about supporting the muscular coordination of the pubic symphysis joint, read this blog.
1. Seated Ball Squeeze: Feet Parallel
You can do this in a supine or seated position! If you don’t have a ball, try using a small pillow or a rolled-up towel. Don’t let the lack of equipment keep you from finding pain relief!
Movement Tips:
- Start with the feet parallel to one another
- SQUEEZE the knees together
- HOLD for 5-10 seconds
- Repeat 5-10 times
Bonus: Coordinate your breath to movement! Inhale to release the tension, and exhale to LIFT up in the pelvic floor as you SQUEEZE the ball.
2. Seated Ball Squeeze: Toes Out
Next, we can work on changing the pelvic position slightly by adjusting the external or internal rotation at the hip!
Movement Tips:
- Point the toes OUT at about a 45 degree angle
- SQUEEZE the ball while maintaining this external rotation
- HOLD for 5-10 seconds
- Repeat 5-10 times
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This program includes our 90-minute webinar on pelvic girdle pain relief + 9 full-length workout videos filled with modifications to help you find relief from pelvic girdle pain!
3. Seated Ball Squeeze: Toes In
Next, we will be focusing on finding more internal rotation!
Internal rotation is commonly neglected in fitness programming and is typically a position that is HARDER to find throughout pregnancy! This inability to find internal rotation could be contributing to pelvic positioning and pelvic pain!
Movement Tips:
- Point the toes IN toward one another
- SQUEEZE the ball while maintaining this position
- HOLD for 5-10 seconds
- Repeat 5-10 times
Internal rotation is a huge component of our prenatal fitness programs!
Our experience as fitness trainers AND birth workers led to us creating a comprehensive prenatal fitness program to keep you comfortable AND strong throughout pregnancy PLUS prepare for your birth!
4. Seated Hip Shift with Squeeze
Pelvic positioning is more than just external and internal rotation with bilateral movement; we can also have shifting in the pelvis!
Typically, we have an asymmetrical SHFIT in the pelvis that may be causing issues. In most situations, the right hip is oriented further back than the left hip.
This hip-shifted positioning can help to reset the pelvic position!
Movement Tips:
- Start with the feet parallel
- Then shift one knee forward and the other hip backward
- SQUEEZE the ball
- HOLD for 5-10 seconds
- Then switch sides; shift the opposite knee forward and the other hip backward
You may find it helpful to try this in a side-lying position! Watch the side-lying breathing drill in the video below for a better understanding of how to find this hip-shifted position.
We incorporate hip-shifted breathing drills and pelvic floor release exercises in our prenatal fitness programs and pelvic floor prep for birth course! Bundle the courses for 15% off!
Pain is not a requirement of pregnancy!
You CAN find relief from pelvic pain! It is not a requirement of pregnancy nor motherhood! If you have been told that there is nothing you can do to find relief, know that it is not true! You can find relief.
If we focus on:
- Improving pelvic position so that the pelvic girdle can better form close on itself
- Improving muscular coordination so the pelvic girdle can better force close on itself
Focusing on those two aspects can help us find relief FINALLY from pelvic pain! Hope this blog helps you find relief and move pain-free and comfortably again!