Are you pregnant and have pain?

Pregnancy-related Pelvic Girdle Pain can be pain at the back of the pelvis (the sacroiliac joint or SIJ), the front of the pelvis (the pubic symphysis), the sides of the pelvis or in the inner thigh/groin area. It can manifest at any stage in pregnancy but tends to be more prevalent into the third trimester, as there is increased load on the muscles and joints.  As the baby grows, your growing bump changes your posture and can change the way your muscles work. Your muscles can become tight, weak, and/or overworked.  The discomfort can occur or worsen with activity such as walking, bending, rolling over in bed, getting in and out of the car – general day to day activities – and can range from very mild to very severe.

There are lots of ways that your Physiotherapist can help with PRPGP – gentle hands-on treatments, practical advice like activity modification, and appropriate exercise prescription, to name a few.  It is not something that you should just put up with!  Sometimes simple things like wearing a compression garment like tubigrip, an SIJ belt, compressive undergarments, or even taping, can really help alleviate the symptoms.  The good news is that the symptoms do tend to disappear after the baby is born, and usually has absolutely no impact at all on your labour or delivery itself.