Pelvic Girdle Dysfunction (PGP) during pregnancy
The real pain in the butt! Our Houston pelvic floor physical therapists can save the day!
Ah, pregnancy. The time when you get to glow, grow, and possibly develop a new relationship with your pelvic girdle—one that's… a little more complicated than you anticipated. Did you know that 1 in 5 pregnant folks experience pelvic girdle pain (PGP)? It's true! Your pelvic girdle is like the fancy, ring-shaped fortress of bone at the base of your body. It includes your sacroiliac joints (fancy name for the back of your pelvis) and the pubic symphysis (where your pubic bones say "hello" to each other). When these joints get cranky, you’re in for a world of discomfort.
What Does Pelvic Girdle Pain Feel Like?
It’s like your pelvis decides to throw a tantrum because it wasn’t invited to the “I’m Growing A Human” party. You might feel achy, sharp, or like your pelvis is pulling apart with pain that radiates to your low back, inner thighs, or butt. It’s a full-body experience, whether you like it or not.
What’s Causing All This Drama?
Hormones? Check. As our ligaments start to stretch to prepare for a vaginal delivery, our pelvis becomes loosey goosey. Weight changes? Oh, yeah. Posture changes? Absolutely. Add to that the magical wonder of your body’s center of gravity deciding to take a wild ride through the second trimester and bam—you’ve got pelvic girdle dysfunction. And let’s not forget that your body has to adjust to all the weird positions you’re trying to manage, like the pregnant shuffle when you roll in bed or the precarious balancing act when trying to put on socks while standing. It's like an Olympic sport, but with more waddling.
What Can You Do About It? Duh, physical therapy!
Modify Movements: Small changes, like keeping knees together when rolling in bed or avoiding lunges, can help. In some cases, exercises that promote symmetry in movement are recommended. This might mean exiting a car like you're pretending to wear a mini-skirt—classy, right?
Sacroiliac Belt: Think of it as the pelvic girdle’s version of a stabilizer. It supports your pelvis while you're walking, standing, moving, etc, here is our favorite.
Physical Therapy: Here’s where the magic happens—manual therapy, myofascial work (like cupping), and stretches that make your muscles go “ahhh” like a long overdue vacation. We’ll even work on strengthening your glutes and inner thighs—yes, your booty’s got your back.
Biomechanics Education: We teach you how to move your body in ways that minimize strain on the pelvis and surrounding muscles can reduce discomfort- sound good?
So, Is It All Bad?
Not at all! While PGP can be a pain in the literally everywhere sense, it’s totally manageable. You’ve got tools, techniques, and a Houston pelvic floor physical therapist ready to help you keep the drama to a minimum. So, let’s get you feeling better so you can enjoy your pregnancy without feeling like your pelvis is conspiring against you.
Ready to kick pelvic pain to the curb? Let’s chat and make this pregnancy a little more comfortable (and a lot less painful)! You deserve it, superstar.
Any questions? Or shall we start working on perfecting your penguin walk? 😄 Reach out here!