Are you experiencing pain in the groin, buttock, back of the thigh and the lower part of your leg? The Sacroiliac joint pain can manifest in various ways. This joint, which connects the spine and hip, can cause pain in all or one of the areas outlined above. It is one of the leading causes for low back pain. The good news is that studies indicate that most patients respond well to exercise and physical therapy. SI joint pain exercises are therefore a great option for managing your symptoms when diagnosed with this condition. In this blog, we discuss 5 sacroiliac joint exercises that are effective for strengthening and pain reduction.

Sacroiliac Joint Pain Exercises

One of the most important aspects of reducing discomfort is strengthening the muscles surrounding the joint. These include the muscles connected to the hip bones, the sacrum and those in the abdomen, lower back, groin and thighs. These exercises for SI joint pain are also designed to improve mobility and restore function.

1. Bridge

This is one of the best sacroiliitis exercises. It is a gentle movement that helps to strengthen the muscles in the lower back, buttocks, hamstrings and even quads. It is a great way to stabilize the core. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees raised. Lay your arms flat on either side of your body. Inhale, tighten your buttocks and abdomen and lift your hips as high as possible keeping your shoulders on the ground. Hold the top position for 10 breaths and slowly lower your body to the ground. Repeat this three times.

2. Lying hip adduction

This movement is effective for strengthening the muscles in the lower abdomen as well as the hip adductors. This is important for providing stability to the joint. To perform the movement, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place a medium sized ball between your knees. Tighten the muscles in your abdomen and inner thighs to squeeze the ball for 5 seconds. Release and repeat the movement for about 10 repetitions.

3. Lying hip adduction with resistance band

This movement is similar to the lying hip adduction but works on the muscles in the abdomen, outer hips and the buttocks. Instead of using a ball, place a resistance band around your knees. Engage the muscles in your core and buttocks and push your knees out to create tension in the band to the level you can tolerate. Repeat this for about 10 repetitions. Work your way up to 3 sets of 10 repetition. You can adjust the resistance by using different bands or simply moving the band higher up towards your hips.

4. Bird-dog pose

This pose is great for stabilizing the core and strengthening the lower back muscles. Start on all fours. Lift your right arm with the fingers pointing directly in front of you. Simultaneously extend the left leg backward and lift it up. Hold this pose for 30 seconds. Breath steadily and bring the arm and leg back to the all-fours position. Repeat with the opposite leg and arm. Repeat three times on each side.

5. Triangle pose

This pose is great for stretching the muscles along the side of the body. It also helps to stabilize the core and improve mobility in the hip area. Stand with your feet about 3 feet apart (or slightly wider than shoulder width apart). Stretch your arms out horizontally. Take a deep breath in and bend your upper body to the right as you exhale. Let your right arm rest on the shin bone and the left arm extend up with the fingers pointing to the ceiling. Look up to your left arm. Hold this pose for 30 seconds. Breathe in and out steadily and lift your body up. Repeat on the left side. Repeat on each side three times.

For more on exercises and sacroiliac joint surgery in Bellevue & Redmond, get in touch with Dr. Chris Boone.