Advice please about SPD (chiro's/osteo's and exercise)

[mosschops30]

I suffered SPD with my 2nd pregnancy, i was sent to see an NHS physio, which consisted of a group of women meeting up once and physio giving out a sheet of exercises!
During birth I had no problems at all with the SPD and managed to get my legs as wide as I needed them to deliver.

Am now 31 weeks, have finished work and was really pleased that I had managed to start doing nice stuff I enjoyed like swimming, ante natal yoga and pilates. I am also walking ds to school moening and afternoon.

But my groin/buttock pain seems to be increasing, not necessarily after exercise but just generally. I am finding the walking the hardest and have to walk very slowly and carefully.

So I want to know if I can continue doing what Im doing, or is it going to make it worse? I cant bear the idea of being stuck in the house not being able to do anything.
Also what is the best treatment for SPD, i have been to a chiro before but due to an (unnoticable brain defect) I shouldnt have any manipulation above the shoulders.

Any advice would be great

Hi mosschops, I had mild SPD around 20-21 weeks of my pregnancy. I went to an osteopath twice and now at 32 weeks am pain free and have just got back off a 7 mile walk with the dogs!
Osteos are really gentle so would be worth a go - I highly recommend.

whats the difference between an osteo and chiro?

How do I find a good one locally who knows ahout SPD?

There are two different types of chiro - McTimoney who are gentle, and British (BCA) who 'click' you back into place. Then there are Osteopaths...

I've been to a McTimoney for years but he was away so tried an osteo who specialised in SPD and is a lecturer at our local uni so thought he must know his stuff.

I think they work on slightly different principles but the difference in the treatment was that with the osteo, I really didn't feel he was doing anything! But afterwards the difference was amazing. It was so gentle, he literally just used his fingertips and it just felt like he was wiggling them on different points on me but can't believe how well it worked.

I found mine by going to the Osteopathic register and was lucky that he had a good website listing his skills in SPD/Pregnancy etc.

www.osteopathy.org.uk

Hope that helps - good luck x

thank you, I have found someone local by looking at the register and also phoned a friend who had strangely been to same clinic and said they were very good.
The guy I spoke to on the phone was excellent and was quite happy to give me guidamce on checking the credentials etc.

Went to yoga last night and even though I did next to nothing I am in agony again this morning. Fingers crossed this will do the trick . Thanks for your advice

I have had back problems in the past and have used a BCA chiropractor who was brilliant, would definately recommend. I also understand that now some PCT's offer chiropractic on the NHS so it's worth asking your GP if it's offered in your area. I saw some helpful tips on another thread, hang on and I'll see if I can link it...

as promised there are tips on this thread

many thanks blondie, hopefully with pilates and the osteo today I can relieve some of the pain

Hi mosschops,

I had a really bad time with SPD, am now 37 + 5. Also went to the Women's Health group at the local hospital's physio dept. - que short meeting, sheets with excercises and advice. Have followed it all to the letter, for me, sitting on the ball (65 cm diameter, I'm 1.7 m tall) and rocking backwards and forward brought great relief. Also sleep with a pillow between your legs, keep legs together when getting in/out of car, walk up steps one at time, no pusing and pulling (as in vacuuming, supermarket trolleys). Went to the osteo twice (last week and this Tuesday, and have not had any pain since Wed. morning for the first time in about 3.5 months, which is great! But, according to the midwife, the baby's head is 3/5 engaged, so maybe that has made a difference? less of a 'pull' on the sacrum? as my pain was in both sacroilliac joints.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

PS went to Thailand when I was about 20 weeks and spent about 5 hours a day in the water snorkelling, and them some more in the pool. Apart from looking like a lobster, I had no pain (SPD) the entire week, all gone. And it was so bad at times that I couldn't put any weight on the affected side's leg, if that makes sense. The osteo seems to think the water took the weight of the baby which relieved the pain. Kind of makes sense. Was great!

well I went to the osteopath, who confirmed I had SPD, but said it wasnt too bad and that she could probably get me pain free in a few sessions as long as I keep my legs together in bed, getting in and out of car etc and do nothing to aggravate it.

The only question I have is, were you manipulated during your treatment? I have a massive fear of this, my chiro used to have to lie and then take me by suprise! She tried today, and told me exactly what she was doing but then I tensed up so much that she had to lean on me quite hard and I felt like she had crushed my ribs and I let out a sort of a strangled cough as I couldnt breathe. I was then too scared to let her try any other manipulation. She did lots of other great painful stuff though [winnk]
Will I get as much out of it if im not being manipulated? And is it safe for the baby to have this woman practically jumping on me?

As far as I know osteo is safe at any stage in pregnancy but some don't manipulate the pelvis until after 14 weeks.

Mine strongly recommends a session after birth to realign everything before the ligaments tighten.

The manipulation my osteo has done on my pelvis has been very gentle - just involving me lying on my side and him moving my leg with knee bent and gentle pressure on my hip. You wonder what you're paying the money for, and then you find it works wonders and you leave feeling like you're walking in a straight line and not around some invisible gaping hole in your pelvis. The baby will be absolutely fine - the amniotic fluid shields it from all but the harshest of blows (like car crashes, not osteos!)

Just try to think of something else....

thank you hobnob and frosty

Yesterday she mainly pushed her fingers into my upper buttocks IYKWIM, it was so painful and feels very bruised today but she says its to try and loosen up the muscles. She also did lots of spine stretching.
I think I found the manipulation scary becaue I was lying on my side and felt like I was being twisted and it felt quite forceful. She also wanted to do my spine but y pressing my ribs, again which I couldnt let her do!
Im hoping I will get something out of it even with the small movements I allow her to get away with .