Are you suffering from pain around the pelvis but not sure why?

Are you thinking your pain is not quite coming from the lower back or hip?

You may instead be experiencing pelvic girdle pain. The pelvic girdle is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when we think of pain in the lower body, but it is a very common structure susceptible to pain. Particularly during pregnancy, it can affect approximately 1 in 5 women who are pregnant. Pelvic girdle pain can range from mild discomfort to severe debilitating pain that can cause problems with simple activities like walking.

Read on to learn more about pelvic girdle pain and how physiotherapy can help.

What is the Pelvic Girdle?

The pelvic girdle is a name given to the ring-like bony structure that connects the base of the spine to the lower limbs. The pelvis is made up of several bones, including the sacrum, coccyx, ilium, ischium and pubis, as pictured below. Many ligaments connect and hold these bones in a stable formation to form the pelvic girdle.

The pelvic girdle has several functions, including:

• Protection of the lower abdominal and pelvic organs.
• Transfer of weight from the trunk to the lower limbs.
• Attachment point for muscles that are responsible for lower body movement and posture.

When we experience pelvic girdle pain, these important functions can be disrupted and lead to problems such as pain with walking or difficulty climbing stairs.

Pelvic Girdle Pain

Common symptoms of pelvic girdle pain include:

• Pain around the pelvis, sometimes originating from specific joints of the pelvis such as the sacroiliac joint or the pubic symphysis.
• Pain spreading to the lower back or the hips and thighs.
• Clicking, locking or grinding around the pelvis.
• Difficulty completing activities such as prolonged sitting, standing, walking, getting in/out of bed, squatting, lunging, climbing stairs, standing on one leg.

Pelvic girdle pain is also a common condition that may occur with pregnancy. This is because pregnancy leads to several bodily changes such as:

• Postural changes, particularly to the lower back, which may affect how weight is transferred through the pelvis.
• Increased weight whilst carrying a foetus, which increases the load or weight that the pelvis needs to support.
• Hormonal changes, which can lead to ligaments becoming lax and not providing sufficient support to the pelvis.

There can also be other causes or risk factors pelvic girdle pain, such as history of low back or hip pain, increased weight, hypermobility, poor posture, and trauma to the pelvis.

What Can Physiotherapy Do?

Physiotherapy is often considered an effective first-line treatment option for pelvic girdle pain. After assessing your physical condition and needs, a physiotherapist will be able to help develop an individualised treatment plan to treat your pelvic girdle symptoms and get you back where you need to be. Your treatment may include:

• Exercise prescription, such as exercises targeted towards pain relief, improving pelvic stability, increasing low back and hip strength, or improving posture.
• Specific modalities for symptom relief, such as manual therapy, ultrasound therapy, dry needling, heat therapy.
• Specific exercise or rehabilitation classes.
• Prescription of assistive devices, such as a pelvis/low back brace or Kinesio taping, which can provide extra support and aid with symptom relief.
• Education on your condition and self-management strategies.

If you believe you’re experiencing pelvic girdle pain, we encourage you to book in with our physiotherapists or exercise physiologists! Don’t let the pain linger and get started on a recovery plan today.