While bed rest is not the best option for healing SI pain, walking and other low-impact exercises are good for this part of the body. Although the amount of walking depends on the cause of your SI joint pain, moderate walking can ease your discomfort and help the healing process. When unsure of how much walking is safe for you, rest in bed for a few hours and maintain a neutral posture. For women, a pillow under the waist can prevent them from bending sideways. But it is important to contact any Certified therapist like Pursuit Physical Therapy if the pain doesn’t stop or continues to increase or before starting any kind of exercise.
To stretch the SI joint, you can perform single-leg balance exercises. First, lie down on your back with both feet flat on the floor. Make sure your lower back remains flat on the floor and that your pelvis is parallel to the floor. Hold for about five to 10 seconds and repeat eight to ten times. Alternatively, you can perform balance exercises on a balance disc. It’s best to start with gentle moves and gradually increase the number of repetitions over time.
Depending on the severity of your SI pain, you may be able to perform a sacral reset exercise to reduce your symptoms. This exercise is an excellent way to strengthen the core and stretch the hip flexors. It involves lying flat with your legs extended and resting your arms beside you. Bring your hands to your belly and point the toes of your right foot. Hold the position for a few breaths and repeat.
You should also practice supine hip flexion stretching. Sitting in this position helps realign the SI joint and provides support for the back. By realigning the SI joint, the muscles in the back will be able to disperse more force and keep your lower body stable and supported. It’s important to keep in mind that walking does not only help you increase your strength and improve your overall posture, but it’s also great for your SI joints.
You should also stretch your hip muscles to relieve pain in the SI joint. Talking with a physical therapist will help you devise a custom strengthening program for your SI joint. A simple stretch that can elongate hip muscles is the knee-to-chest stretch. If you have difficulty reaching the knee, use straps or other objects to reach it. Exercises that target the hip muscles will help you heal faster.
Low-impact exercises for strengthening the SI joint are also good for you. A physical therapist may recommend swimming or water aerobics to help you get the most benefit. The buoyancy of the water helps the muscles surrounding the SI joint to stay strong and flexible. Swimming is a low-impact workout for the whole body and reduces pressure on the joint. It’s also great for cardiovascular fitness and endurance. Swimming also helps you maintain a healthy body weight.
Another method of SI joint pain is sitting for long periods of time. Sitting for long periods of time can strain the SI joint ligaments and aggravate your pain. Try sitting in a different position. Sit with your hips level. You can avoid crossing your legs by keeping your hips above your knees. This will also help you maintain a normal curve in your back.
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