Struggling with SPD - Physically and mentally

[FTM91]

I'm 25+2 weeks. Over the last week I've developed what I can only think must be SPD. Feels like I've been punched in the groin permanently, can't stand on one leg to put pants on, pulling my Welly boots off is agony.

Besides the physical pain, I'm really struggling with the fact that a) it's likely to get worse and b) feeling this 'frail' for another 15 weeks!

I'm an independent and active person. Before the pandemic was doing CrossFit 4x per week, could deadlift 110kg etc. I feel like all that is going to be taken away from me and just hate feeling so helpless and like I can't do things for myself.

My usual 1hr dog walk was a 1hr 30 min waddle today with two stops to sit...I don't know what I'll do if I can't even walk the dog, that's the one hour I get out of the house and to clear my head at the moment.

I've made a chiropractor appointment next week but just wondering if anyone has any tips for the pain and/or how to accept that this is happening :(

I'm so sorry for you. I developed it at 20 weeks. Prior to pregnancy practiced yoga every day, was really fit. I'm sorry to say it was the worst few months of my life.

Here would be my tips.

Before a walk, ice pack the front of your groin.
Heat on your lower back

See osteopath regularly if you can afford.

I would do some pregnancy friendly strength exercises like Clam shells to strengthen your bum and hip so you can support your pelvis as well as you can.

Sit down to do everything like shoes. Try to avoid being on one leg.

Accept you cannot do long walks. I'm sorry but you just won't be able to.

I found warm baths good.

You can also get a pelvic support belt to help with walking.

Sorry you are having such difficulties. I have SPD, got it at 28 weeks in my first pregnancy and 18 weeks in this one! I’m 24 weeks now and it hasn’t got any worse. I have been to see a physio and got exercises to help strengthen my pelvic floor and lower back, this helped at lot!

I also brought a support belt from Amazon. Tried loads in my first pregnancy but this is by far the best - last weekend I walked into our village with my son and back for the first time in about 6 weeks without any pain!!

My physio advised the ones I had previously been using were too “stretchy” and the belt needs to “hold” your pelvis in place. So it’s tight, but not uncomfortable. What’s the best thing is it’s absolute instant relief!

I've had horrendous SPD (they call it pelvic girdle pain now) in both pregnancies. I've had physio both times and the key things that help are:

1. Get a referral for physio ASAP
2. Pelvic girdle belt as previous poster mentioned. You can also use a big tubi grip.
3. Regular pelvic floor exercises helps to strengthen the area
4. This is not a push through the pain type of injury. Rest is key. I've found for example that i can do more overall if I rest regularly. I would for example take a break about a mile in to a walk so that I could continue for another mile whereas before I was struggling to do 1.5 in total.
5. Find work around for the things that hurt the most. A plastic bag on a car seat can help you to swivel out in stead of trying to open your legs wide. Tensing your buttocks can also help give stability.

Wow thanks for all your tips, ladies

Will look into a belt for sure and presumably my midwife is the route for referral to physio? I have been doing my pelvic floor exercises religiously as directed by midwife!

I think what's getting me down is that after months of being stuck at home, there's finally a possible end point and now this has come along and I'll just feel stuck again.

Anyway I know it will be worth it in the end when my little girl arrives :) :)

@FTM91 in my first pregnancy i went through the NHS and had to wait an age for an appointment. They weren’t that great, offered me only one appointment and definitely not worth the wait. I’ve gone private in both pregnancies now and its been well worth it! If you can afford it, my advice would be to find a private physio as they will see you quickly, be more likely to be face to face and you can go weekly (or whatever they advise)

Good luck and I hope you find something that works for you really quickly!

If you're usually fit, please please please don't push it the way you'll be tempted to. I did, and still have some symptoms over 2 years after the birth. The moment I gave in and used crutches and stopped trying to carry things and walk.everywhere was actual bliss, wish I'd done it earlier.

Also if you see a physio look for one with actual SpD experience not just someone who is into women's health, my first physio made it much worse.

For me spd started at 17 weeks in this pregnancy. Now I’m 37 weeks and some weeks ago (maybe around 30ish, can’t recall) it suddenly improved dramatically. No idea why. Just to give you some hope that it might not be downhill from here to the end. Got other issues now, like simply getting physically tired and out of breath, as well as lower back aches from walking too much, but that’s another story

It's really tough, isn't it? I developed Pelvic Girdle Pain (aka SPD) in week 14 of my twin pregnancy. I'm in week 28 now and unfortunately, the pain is getting worse. I would recommend you speak to your GP to get a referral to the physiotherapy service in your area. I did speak to my midwife about my pelvic pain initially, but she told me to speak to my GP.

I've had a course of physio and have just been told that if I was going to see an improvement, it would have happened by now, so I've been referred back to the physio team. I've had a real wobble about that, as it is really difficult to see how I can get through the next ten weeks or so of my pregnancy when I am in so much pain.

I think a belt can be useful, but the basis of my physio appointments have been to do specific exercises to strengthen my core muscles. I think that will be really useful for you. I know you've said you are doing pelvic floor exercises, which is great, but it won't help with the pelvic pain you are experiencing. Targeted exercises will be able to help strengthen your core. I don't think it will hurt to see a chiropractor, but in my experience, I've never been given exercises to follow in between appointments. Whereas a physio will be able to do that.

A few things that I have found to offer very temporary relief are using an electric heat pad for 20 mins or so at a time, and using an ice pack can also help. I keep a pillow between my knees when I sleep, as that can help a bit with the pain. Sit down to put trousers on, etc, and make sure you have weight evenly distributed on both legs when you are standing. Doing things on one leg will just exacerbate the pain.

I am disabled and I already use crutches inside the house, and a wheelchair outside, but it is possible a physio may recommend crutches to help you in moving about, maybe a wheelchair too if needed. Please don't try to do too much, or push through the pain. That is not going to help at all. You need to rest.

If you speak to your GP, they may also be able to prescribe stronger pain killers to you. The ones I have do help to take the edge off the pain, but it doesn't go completely. Still, it's better than not taking anything at all. Please reach out to your GP to access physiotherapy.

Rest really is key, I wish I had rested when I had it with DS1 but I just overdone it and put myself through more pain than necessary.
I remember being in so much pain lying in bed at night and a pillow between my knees or getting a pregnancy pillow (I loved mine) did help.

I’m so sorry you’re having such trouble. It is so painful and I understand why you are feeling like you are going to be trapped inside the house. I had it with all my pregnancies and ended up hiring a mobility scooter. It was honestly the best thing I did, as being able to get out of the house by myself and to take my child to nursery was psychologically empowering. Yes I did get lots of odd looks but they were well worth it.

I second what others say about not pushing it. This only makes it worse. I found the belt helpful but the physio not at all. I also had to have C-sections, something you may need to consider. Good luck.

I could have written your post OP pretty much word for word except I also have a 1 year old who does not understand or make any allowances for me feeling crap lifting, carrying and wrestling him to change him is crippling me.

I hope you’re getting more helpful advice than I am. Spoken to two physios and both just showed me a few exercises and told me to ‘take it easy’

Same from midwives and doctors ‘no heavy lifting and lots of rest’ right...I’ll just put my 1 yo in the corner then shall I?

Pelvic partnership website. Google it.

See a manual practitioner (physio, osteo or chiropractor) with training for spd. In many areas, an NHS physio won't do manual manipulation of your joints, which is what you require. Private is the best money you'll ever spend in your whole life.

Get a dog walker.

You can do this.

It started for me about 12/13 weeks in first pregnancy. I was told there's nothing thing we can do by nhs physio. They gave me crutches around 25ish weeks and I was effectively housebound by 31 weeks.

This pregnancy, symptoms started 8 weeks. I've been seeing my osteopath that I found at 6 months post partum at 2-3 week intervals. I'm 37 weeks now and only had 2 or 3 days all pregnancy where crutches would have been great (today being one of them!!). Osteo has made all the difference!!!

I developed spd/PGP at around 20 weeks and I was so so worried about it just getting worse and worse and that I wouldn't be able to cope. Some days were worse than others, but it didn't just keep getting worse and I was able to do everyday stuff fairly normally. I think you get used to things you can and can't do i.e don't stand on one leg when getting dressed, don't lift heavy things, don't cross legs, keep legs together when getting out of bed. DEFINITELY do not over do it though. Days where I did too much I could barely move after.

Sorry you're in such pain, it really is excruciating and can make you feel scared for the rest of the pregnancy. However, it really isn't something you have to live with in any form.

Please don't waste your time with a physio referral - they can rake months to come through, in which time you remain in agony - and physios are actually not very effective at treating SPD. Instead, find yourself an osteopath. They are much more hands on that physios and you shouldn't need more than one or two treatments for the pain to be completely solved.

I found my osteo on the pelvicpartnership website and I went from sobbing in bed in pain, to moving completely pain free within a week.

It's great that your pain was relieved but I'm sorry an osteopath isn't a magic wand for all of us. I saw everyone I could and my pelvic pain was hell, and continued after birth. I'm still trying to fix it 2 years on. OP this is so unlikely to happen for you but osteopaths aren't always an instant relief though 100% see one.

Thanks for all your advice ladies, and I do appreciate the honesty as well.

I am the sort of person who would just push through, like when you're sore after working out, but reading all your experiences will certainly force me to rest so thank you for that.

I'm sure, as with everything in pregnancy everyone's experiences are different and what's worked for some might not work for others so I am keeping my fingers tightly crossed I can find something that works for me.

I've managed to find a specialist & highly recommended women's pelvic floor physio only ten minutes from me, and have an appointment next week, wahoo!

Hey, just to add a bit of hope for you too - I suffered terribly around 25 weeks and after making a couple of simple changes it gradually improved. It does still hurt but not to the extreme it did (now 33 weeks)

I used an ice pack on my pelvic area each night before bed. I also sit down to do anything that requires standing on one leg. And I have a cushion between my legs when I sleep. As you say everyone's different, and I really hope you find the solution for you.

It's difficult as everyone is different and responds differently to various treatments. The light at the end of the tunnel is it will be better once baby is here! But I would suggest you find what works best you, hope it gets better for you xx

I've also found it much easier this pregnancy to cope mentally because I had a plan. Whereas before it all seemed doom and gloom and that there was nothing I could do and it probably would leave lasting effects etc... having a plan (even on the more painful days like yesterday and today when I can't really walk even around the house) has helped immensely!!

It’s really tough and I think especially if you’re normally slim/fit. I had a small bump and was slim so I don’t think people really believed that I could be in such pain. Warm baths and rest were the only things that made it bearable for me. The day after a long shift at work I was in agony, but it significantly improved once my AL started and I could just go on very slow dog walks at my own pace!

@Tinchytot

It’s really tough and I think especially if you’re normally slim/fit. I had a small bump and was slim so I don’t think people really believed that I could be in such pain. Warm baths and rest were the only things that made it bearable for me. The day after a long shift at work I was in agony, but it significantly improved once my AL started and I could just go on very slow dog walks at my own pace!

It hasn't been any easier for me to deal with because I am disabled. it's still excruciatingly painful.

@kensue19 *"Sorry you're in such pain, it really is excruciating and can make you feel scared for the rest of the pregnancy. However, it really isn't something you have to live with in any form.

Please don't waste your time with a physio referral - they can rake months to come through, in which time you remain in agony - and physios are actually not very effective at treating SPD. Instead, find yourself an osteopath. They are much more hands on that physios and you shouldn't need more than one or two treatments for the pain to be completely solved."*

I don't think comments like this are particularly helpful. Some women with PGP/SPD do not respond to any form of treatment. That isn't a choice they have made, they haven't just decided to live with the pain. Who would?

I don't think it's helpful to make blanket statements claiming that NHS physios are ineffective for PGP/SPD. What are you basing that assertion on exactly? Everyone responds differently to treatments, and I certainly would not discourage anyone from seeking help from NHS physio treatment in their area. It isn't taking months to be seen, the process could be very quick for the OP once she gets the ball rolling. Although my physio hasn't been able to help me, it hasn't been a waste of my time. I have still benefitted from the sessions.

I've based my assertions on my own experience of nhs lack of treatment of pgp (a group session where they told everyone 'not long now' cause they were all 30 weeks and plus and I was at 21 weeks...' and my one to one nhs physio where she said 'that's rough, here are your crutches. There's nothing that can be done' at about 25 weeks.) I'm also basing my assertions from the experiences of other women from the pelvic partnership website.

Even trying to seek help can make it worse when the practitioners put up road blocks.

@tofuschnitzel I wasn’t suggesting the pain is different. But I think it is harder to convey and be believed by other people that you’re struggling with your mobility. I felt that people were less likely to offer help because on the face of it I looked like a very fit and able pregnant woman. On the flip side, I have friends with higher BMIs who get very frustrated at people offering to help them with heavy bags, picking a pen up from a floor etc. I guess people can’t win, but I kind of wished I looked less able on my bad days, just so colleagues at work would let me take it slower - like they did with other members of staff who were more obviously pregnant or presumed to be less able.

@Tinchytot I do appreciate what you're saying though. It's one of the reasons that I wished I hadn't resisted crutches for so long - not only did they help a lot, but suddenly people were so much more supportive and considerate, it was much better.