Pelvic Girdle & Back Pain
Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) is pain around your buttocks and sacro-iliac joints (SIJs) and/or the pubic symphysis (PS). Sometimes the pain is also felt in the lower back. Alternatively, back pain may exist without pelvic girdle pain. These conditions occur during pregnancy and can persist in early parenthood.
Your pelvis is made up of three bones, with two sacro-iliac joints at the back and your pubic symphysis at the front. It’s essential to understand that your pelvis and its joints are actually very stable. The term ‘pelvic instability’ is often used to describe PPGP, but it is outdated and incorrect. PPGP may occur in up to 72% of pregnant women, with 20% reporting severe symptoms.
Pelvic or back pain can begin at any stage in pregnancy or in early parenthood and vary from mildly annoying to downright debilitating. For many women, the pain settles after their baby is born, but for some, the pain persists after the birth of your baby.
Many people are told that pelvic and back pain are a normal part of pregnancy or early parenthood, and that they need to put up with it. But this is not helpful or true. Left untreated, it can affect everything from work and exercise to social outings and intimacy. You might find yourself unable to care for your toddler or enjoy this special time of life. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Your pain can be treated.
Fortunately, pelvic and back pain can be treated and better managed. So there’s no need to suffer in silence. Most people experiencing these issues can be helped. And at Pelvic Health Matters, we’re here to help you.
Many people are told that pelvic girdle and back pain are a normal part of pregnancy or early parenthood and that they need to put up with it. But this is not helpful or true.
Common signs & symptoms of pelvic girdle and back pain
Everyone is different, but you’re probably familiar with some of the following:
- Pain in the buttock, hip, groin, pubic bone or low back when you are:
- Walking, especially on rough or uneven ground
- Standing for prolonged periods
- Sitting
- Rolling over in bed
- Getting up from a chair
- Getting in and out of a car
- Going up or down steps
- Bending and lifting
- Difficulty with everyday tasks like getting dressed
- Pain walking the dog or lifting your toddler
Risk factors & causes of pelvic girdle and back pain
Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain is not due to pelvic instability. Recent research shows the risk factors are:
- Previous trauma, including pregnancy and birth-related trauma such as miscarriage
- Psychosocial factors including thoughts, feelings and behaviours
- Changes to the nervous system, which may increase nervous system sensitivity
- High body mass index
- Smoking
- Confidence or belief in improvement
- Postural changes due to the effects of pregnancy
- Abdominal and pelvic floor muscle weakness
- Hormonal changes
- Poor sleep
- Certain general exercise
Our Proven Pathway for Treating Pelvic Girdle and Back Pain
Discover what matters
You’re assessed as a whole person
To begin, we take the time to understand all of you – not just what’s going on physically. So, your postgraduate qualified pelvic health physiotherapist will collect the following information:
- QUESTIONNAIRE: You’ll complete a pelvic health questionnaire online before your first visit. This helps us understand your history, current health concerns and what matters to you.
- 1-on-1 CONSULTATION: Here, we’ll take the time to learn about you and your back and pelvic girdle pain. We believe a holistic approach enables us to understand how your specific physical, emotional and lifestyle factors influence your pelvic health.
- THOROUGH ASSESSMENT: This includes an assessment of your lower back and pelvic joints, muscles, nerves, and ligaments, as well as your thoughts and beliefs about pain.
- CONNECTING THE DOTS: Now that we’ve discovered so much about you and your pelvic girdle or back pain, we can explore how it all fits together. For example, we may look into how your work stress might be playing a role in your pelvic pain. Or perhaps we might discover how postural change and weak abdominals are contributing to your lower back pain.
- SET GOALS: We’ll help you set meaningful pelvic health goals, such as:
- Continue to enjoy walking with friends during my pregnancy
- Reduced pain when getting dressed
- Easily get out of a chair or the car
- Care for my baby easily without pain
Restore what matters
You’ll have a personalised pelvic health plan.
This is where we get to work and make real improvements. Together, we’ll choose the best research-proven treatment options for your lifestyle. You’ll learn how your pelvic girdle or back pain works. Plus, you’ll learn about the fascinating world of pain science and how your entire nervous system and body work together. We’ll also get to the bottom of what may not be working so well and what you can do to reduce pain.
You’ll also learn how to modify and pace activity levels while still incorporating cardiovascular exercise. We’ll give you a movement program that may include stretches, strengthening or relaxation exercises. And, we’ll give you expert advice, hands-on treatment and possibly a pregnancy belt or tape which can really help to relieve symptoms and give you the support and safety you need.
ABOUT YOUR APPOINTMENTS: Together, we’ll work out how often we should see each other. We’ll agree on what works best for you, your commitments and your finances.
Enjoy what matters
You’ll be living your best life.
The final step is about helping you achieve all the meaningful goals you set at the beginning of your journey. You’ll have the skills to manage your pelvic girdle or back pain so you can fully enjoy your pregnancy and your wonderful new life with your newborn.
Of course, life doesn’t always go to plan, so you might find you need a little support now and then. This may be after your baby is born, or perhaps during a future pregnancy. Whatever the case, we’ll always be here to help you.
Read about Lucy 32 yrs, Mia 32 yrs
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Pelvic Health Matters
New name.
Same exceptional care.
Formerly known as Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapy, our new name reflects both what we believe in and what we do. We have an unwavering belief that pelvic health matters for everyone, at every stage of life.
Same phone number: 03 8823 8300
New email: physio@pelvichealth.com.au