Pain Relieving Moves for a Sore SI Joint
Anne Asher 
Sacroiliac joint pain, also called SI joint pain, can be tricky. Here are 5 possible moves that may provide relief.
I've dealt with a wobbly SI joint for a very long time. I've learned through the process of trying to stabilize it that a long term approach using movement and exercise can be very helpful.
But there is a temporary reset I’d like to share with you. It's got a couple of warm up moves, then the main reset activity and all that is followed by an exercise. Take this at your own pace and be sure to move gently, ideally within a pain free zone only.
Feel free to skip to the bottom for that, or you can first get a dose of my POV regarding SI joint medicine and fixes by simply reading on.
MANY POSSIBLE SI JOINT TREATMENTS
As with many medical problems, businesses in the health space have been quick to come up with treatments for SI joint pain. Things like fusion surgery, drugs and other high tech “solutions,” are developed as purported answers to the demand for SI pain relief. These fixes may have research behind them, but by no means does that fact guarantee their safety, effectiveness or their appropriateness-for-you factor.
In truth, resolving SI pain varies by individual.
While the market abounds with things for you to try for yours, I, myself, like to go down the holistic route whenever possible. This necessarily involves movement and exercise that affects the area near and around the sacroiliac joints.
Later in this post, you'll find a short routine that may temporarily reset the joint. But to really get to the bottom of this kind of problem, you’ve first got to take into consideration the complex nature of the SI joint.
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THE SI JOINT. IT’S COMPLICATED
For example, the sacrum bone is built to neatly fit in between your two hip bones, where it acts like a wedge. The sides of the sacrum meet the inside edges of the right and left hip bones; these right and left meeting places are the location of the sacroiliac joint.
The entire shape of the sacrum bone is that of a kidney bean; the top is wider than the bottom. The sacrum fits between the two hips with an interlocking mechanism, yet it has a lot of ligaments that hold it together.
Because of this kidney bean design, the sacroiliac joint provides one type of movement in front and another in back.
The list of unique features goes on from there, but suffice it to say, an SI joint can go out in a number of ways.
In fact, the cause of an SI incident often defies textbook learning.
Even very subtle moves in the body can pull the joint out of alignment and into painful dysfunction. This is especially true when – due to routine but dysfunctional posture and movement habits, injuries that haven’t fully healed, the effects of stress or unresolved emotions, or other lifestyle factors – you’ve got chronically imbalanced trunk and core muscles.
And unlike most other joints in the body, the SI has only a small amount of direct support from muscles that cross between the two bones that comprise the joint. (In this case, we’re talking sacrum and ilium. The ilium is your hip bone.)
No wonder keeping the SI properly aligned can be a daunting task!
SACROILIAC JOINT EXERCISES
TEMPORARY RESET VS LONG TERM PROCESS
To get past SI instability long term, you’ll likely have to do the type of movement work that balances all the muscle groups located in and around the pelvic, hip and back area.
Learning about and achieving good body alignment is critical to this process.
So is finding the right movement sequence(s) for you.
While establishing good body alignment is critical, there are a few moves known for rescuing an SI in immediate distress.
The below 3-movement mini-program may help relieve pain when your SI is acting up. While I can’t guarantee it will out and out fix your pain, if you work gently and moderately, and commit to not working through pain, it may be worth a try.
With SI, there’s usually asymmetry involved, meaning that some of the below movements may work better for you than others. Again, because the joint is so complicated, this will vary by individual. Work gently, mind your pain, and stop if it hurts or doesn't feel right to you.
EASY WARM UP – DOUBLE KNEES TO CHEST
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Often, we get pain simply because our soft tissue is tight and/or weak – usually a combination of the two. So before you try to tackle your SI alignment, how about warming up the muscles in the general area?
The double knees to chest is perfect for that. For most people, it’s one of the safest and easiest moves to do.
As you warm up with the double knees to chest stretch, pay attention to the sensations at the back of the pelvis, around your hip joints and in the lower back area. This awareness will provide a “barometer” for safe work as you proceed.
STEPS
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Bring one knee up to your chest and grasp the front of the shin (just below the knee) with one hand.
- Repeat with the other leg. You may find that it’s painful for you to lift one of the legs but not the other.
-- The goal is to work pain free, but if that’s not possible, stop or ease up until you're comfortable.
--One-sided SI pain may be a sign that a visit to a physical therapist or chiropractor is in order. - If you’re doing okay, then gently pull both knees to your chest for 5 – 30 seconds, according to tolerance. Keep breathing!
- Gently release the pull on your legs.
- Slowly, gently, lower one foot to the floor, followed by the other.
THE SI JOINT RESET MOVE
Many holistic therapists, chiropractors and PTs teach this sacroiliac joint exercise to their patients or clients, in hopes that it will allow the bones to move naturally into their correct positions.
This move can be effective, but as I mentioned earlier, relief varies by individual. So try it and see. Don’t be too aggressive, though – especially the first couple of times while you’re figuring out if this a good move for you.
STEPS
You’ll need an elastic band or yoga strap, plus a small-to-medium sized inflatable ball.
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SI JOINT RESET POINTER
- Really engage your inner thigh muscles when you squeeze the ball, and your outer thigh muscles when you press against the strap or belt.
STABILIZE YOUR SACROILIAC JOINT WITH THE GLUTE BRIDGE EXERCISE
The 3rd and final move, which is the glute bridge, may help preserve the good work you did in the other two exercises. The glute bridge builds muscles that help stabilize the SI joint, namely the lower glutes and also their helpers, the hamstrings.
STEPS
- Begin lying on your back with your legs bent, feet resting on the floor.
- Engage your lower abdominal muscles by pulling your hip bones and the bottom of your rib cage towards one another.
- Keeping that contraction, press your feet into the floor to lift your hips up into the air.
- Hold the position for 5-30 seconds to tolerance. Keep breathing, and keep your lower abs engaged as well las you can.
- Throughout the hold, keep your hips level. Don’t let one side dip lower than the other.
GLUTE BRIDGE POINTERS
- Try to keep your shoulders wide and relaxed.
- Keep the work in your hamstrings and lower glute muscles by aiming your pelvis into the same direction as your knees.
--This will result in small move, so don’t expect an obvious change in position. But you might feel it in your glutes and hamstrings! - Going high is not as important as staying in good alignment.
Categories: Sacroiliac Joint