If you’ve been struggling with nagging pain in your left SI (sacroiliac) joint, you’re not alone. As a perinatal fitness trainer, birth doula, and mom of four, I know firsthand how frustrating and limiting SI joint pain can feel—especially during pregnancy and postpartum. The good news? There’s a targeted way to relieve it!
In today’s blog, I’ll break down why left-sided SI joint pain happens and share a workout routine designed to bring you relief by improving pelvic alignment, stability, and muscular support.
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What Causes Left SI Joint Pain?
The SI joints are located at the back of your pelvis where your sacrum meets each side of your pelvic bones. Although the SI joint doesn’t move much, it plays a critical role in transferring load between your upper and lower body.
Many of us habitually favor our right leg when standing or walking, creating a pelvic asymmetry called a left AIC pattern. This pattern means:
Your left pelvic half sits more forward (anterior tilt) and externally rotated.
Your right pelvic half sits more tucked (posterior tilt) and internally rotated.
Over time, this imbalance can lead to:
Difficulty shifting your weight onto the left leg
Inability to find internal rotation on the left side
Increased gapping at the front of the left SI joint
Reduced form closure (the passive stability from joint surfaces fitting together)
Compromised force closure (the active stability from surrounding muscles)
The result? Persistent left SI joint pain.
If You're Having RIGHT SI Joint Pain, Check Out Last Week's Video!
The Goal of This Workout
Our focus today is on helping you find and strengthen internal rotation on the left side, improving your ability to shift weight properly onto your left hip. This will relieve tension, reduce gapping at the SI joint, and build better pelvic stability.
We’ll start with a 7-minute warmup to loosen up and practice hip shifting, then dive into a strength-based workout to support force closure around the pelvis.
All you need:
A yoga block
A resistance band (optional for rows)
A light to medium weight (optional for added resistance during shifts)
Warm-Up: Building Awareness and Mobility
1. All Fours Hip Shifts (With Pelvic Tilts & Thoracic Rotation)
Place one knee on a yoga block.
Shift most of your weight (about 80%) into the elevated hip.
Move through pelvic tilts: inhale to drop your belly, exhale to round your back.
Add thoracic rotation: exhale to round and reach the same-side arm up toward the ceiling.
Repeat on both sides.
Why this works:
This position encourages a deep stretch in the back hip pocket and helps your body learn how to shift weight over the left side.
2. Standing Hip Shifts (Elevated Foot Position)
Place your left foot on the block first.
Hinge at your hips with a slight knee bend.
Drive your right knee forward, bringing your belly closer to your left thigh.
Focus on weight in your left big toe, slight internal knee rotation, and a small tuck under of your pelvis.
Repeat on the right side.
Why this works:
This mimics the hip shift while standing, helping to reinforce left-sided internal rotation and glute activation.
Strength Workout: Reinforcing Stability
We’ll go through two rounds of the following exercises.
1. Half Kneeling Archer Rows (Right and Left)
Start in a half kneeling position (right knee forward first, then switch).
Hold a resistance band in the front-side hand.
Exhale and row, bringing your elbow toward your hip while keeping your front knee stacked and stable.
Focus on shifting your belly toward the front thigh during each row.
Why this works:
This integrates upper body rotation with lower body stabilization, encouraging pelvic rotation and strengthening obliques and glutes.
2. Standing Hip Shifts (Feet Level)
From standing, shift most of your weight into the left leg (then the right on your second set).
Keep your knee slightly bent, weight in your big toe, and belly moving toward your thigh.
Maintain a slight posterior tuck in your pelvis.
Why this works:
We’re reinforcing that hip-shifted, internally rotated position in a functional standing stance.
3. Lateral Hip Shifts
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
Hinge forward halfway.
Shift your weight into the left leg first, reaching your belly toward your thigh, then stand back up.
Focus on keeping weight in both big toes and maintaining knee and ankle alignment.
Repeat on the right.
Optional: Hold a light weight in the opposite hand to deepen the shift.
Why this works:
This dynamic shift helps with force closure and control through the hip and SI joint, mimicking lateral weight transfer in daily movements.
4. Side Lying Reaches
Lie on your side (start with right hip down).
Keep knees stacked and rib cage aligned.
Reach your top arm forward toward the floor and then back.
Let your top knee glide forward and back with each reach.
Repeat on both sides.
Progression: In Round 2, lift your hips off the floor for an extra challenge.
Why this works:
This teaches your body to coordinate upper body rotation with lower body movement, critical for balanced pelvic mechanics.
Workout Conclusion
By the end of this workout, you’ll have:
Improved your awareness of left-side internal rotation
Strengthened key muscles supporting your SI joints
Practiced hip shifting in multiple positions
If this workout brought relief, consistency is key. Repeating this routine several times a week will help retrain your body for better pelvic alignment.
Remember: You don’t have to suffer through pelvic pain. Targeted movement and strength can help you reclaim comfort in your pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.
Resolving SI Joint Pain with Hayley Kava, PT
Want More??
If this felt helpful and you’re looking for more:
👉 Check out our Pelvic Stability On Demand Program for continued progressions.
👉 Explore our prenatal and postpartum online fitness programs for full-body strength and comfort.
👉 Use code YOUTUBE10 for 10% off any of our online offerings at mamastefit.com.
And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for new workouts every Tuesday!
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