Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) or Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP): Minimising Pain During Everyday Activities

This is part 2 of 3 posts covering SPD / PGP during pregnancy. Yesterday I posted on Exercises for SPD / PGP, today its about living with it!

A Few Tips that Might Help:

DO:
• Be as active as possible within pain limits and avoid activities that make the pain worse
• Ask for help! Many household chores & everyday activities may be difficult or painful – ask for & accept help wherever you can get it
• Rest & relax when you can. Sitting on a large exercise ball is often more comfortable than a chair & easier to get up from.
• Sit down to get dressed and undressed – avoid standing on one leg
• Wear flat supportive shoes
• Avoid standing for prolonged periods (someone else’s turn to do the ironing:))
• Try to keep your knees together when moving out of the car.  A plastic carrier bag on the seat may help you to swivel (another top tip from the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists for Women’s Health)
• Sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs
• Try different ways of turning in bed e.g. turning under or turning over with your knees together and squeezing your buttocks
• Roll in and out of bed keeping your knees together
• Take the stairs one at a time or go down on your bottom (top tip from Nisha at the Nine Month Club – see her blog for more)
• Use a small rucksack to carry your stuff around – this leaves your hands free to hang onto something for support or to use crutches if you’ve been given them

AVOID activities which make the pain worse:

• Standing on one leg
• Bending and twisting to lift or carrying a toddler or baby on one hip
• Crossing your legs
• Sitting on the floor
• Sitting twisted
• Sitting or standing for long periods
• Lifting heavy weights (shopping bags, wet washing, vacuum cleaners, toddlers)
• Vacuuming
• Pushing heavy objects like supermarket trolleys
• Carrying anything in only one hand

Of course not all of these activities CAN realistically be avoided – you may have to lift & care for other children, pick up something or go to the supermarket. Just try to get as much help as you can, go slowly & think before you move.

Stay as active as you can. Follow your physiotherapist’s guidelines & keep doing the core activation & pelvic floor exercises described in yesterday’s post EVERY DAY. You will get some relief as well as be training your vital core muscles in preparation for your post-baby flat tummy!

Thanks again to the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists for Women’s Health for their great guidelines & also have a look at the Pelvic Partnership for more tips & information on SPD / PGP.

All No More Excuses personal trainers are experienced & knowledgeable when dealing with SPD / PGP – if you would like to meet with a trainer for a free consultation then just fill out the form in the column on the right.

What strategies worked for you? Please share your SPD / PGP stories – I know many women suffer (1 in 5 pregnancies) but often don’t realise how common the condition is. If you know something that does or doesn’t work, please leave a comment here!