Think I am developing SPD... any hints of what not to do!

[lucy101]

I am starting to have real pain in both my hips and pelvis, to begin with sporadically at night roughly a week ago and now getting painful enough to wake me up but today is the first day that they are starting to hurt in the day too... I am guessing it might be SPD as I haven't done anything to have caused a sprain etc.

I also had the most horrendous growing pains in my hips when I was little which feel exactly like this and I have trapped nerves in my pelvis already which cause nerve pain in my thighs... so I guess I am a prime candidate.

I am 20 weeks, this is my first and I can't get to a GP/midwife/physio for another week or so.

I am working my way through all the SPD posts here and gleaning lots of good info. - thank for all of that but am just wondering if there are any tips you might have which might prevent it getting worse at this point...

• I was thinking of starting pregnancy yoga for instance... but maybe I should avoid it
• is it ok to do pelvic floor exercises?
• are there any specific exercises that I could do?
• I am also walking to and from work - not far 15/20 mins each way but wondering whether I should try and get a lift
• am trying to lie on my left in bed but feel better when I lie on my back.. which makes the baby kick which I guess is it being uncomfortable
• tried a Dreamgenii pillow between my legs... which seemed to make things worse!
• am trying to sit upright at work and keep my knees and hips together - when they flop out I can really feel it in my hip joints.

Any advice will be gratefully received!

I have what I consider to be a mild case of SPD. I have sharp pain in the groin area when walking or standing on one foot. I also have a deep ache in one hip at night that feels like referred pain. It started around 20 weeks and I'm now 25 weeks.

I'm an avid yoga practicioner and go to ante natal classes once a week as well as my usual yoga class 4 days a week. One of my teachers (apart from the ante natal) also teaches pregnancy yoga and has given me lots of advice.

From this and my experience here are my answers to your queries:

• I was thinking of starting pregnancy yoga for instance... but maybe I should avoid it

*Don't avoid it altogether - I've found classes actually help lessen the pain. Do tell your teacher and make sure you avoid any position that causes the pain.

• is it ok to do pelvic floor exercises?

*Yes, unless they cause you pain.

• are there any specific exercises that I could do?

• I've been told that drawing up the muscles at the lower front of the abdomen (just above the pubic area) helps strengthen the area. Always try to keep the hips in alignment as if there is a straight line running from one front hip bone to the other which is parallel to the ground and not at an angle (if that makes sense!)

• I am also walking to and from work - not far 15/20 mins each way but wondering whether I should try and get a lift

*imho - definitely try for a lift. For me, walking is the thing that makes the pain much worse.

• am trying to lie on my left in bed but feel better when I lie on my back.. which makes the baby kick which I guess is it being uncomfortable

• I also have this problem. I'm lying mostly on my right but a few weeks of careful yoga and also hot water bottles on the painful bits at night mean I can now sleep on my left - just.

• tried a Dreamgenii pillow between my legs... which seemed to make things worse!

• I use a normal pillow between my legs, don't know whether it helps or not!

• am trying to sit upright at work and keep my knees and hips together - when they flop out I can really feel it in my hip joints.

• Keeping knees together is especially important turning over in bed, getting up and down etc. You just need to try and develop awareness of what movements are a problem.