SI joint pain and yoga

Octobergirl · 05-20-2009, 04:18 PM

I posted earlier about low back pain and wondering if there any poses I should avoid or that would help my low back pain. I went to the doctor about it this week, and he said it is either SI joint pain or it could be disc deterioration. He said it sounds like SI joint pain. After doing some research about SI joint pain, my symptoms seem to be consistent with that.

Do you know of any poses that help SI joint pain or ones that I should avoid?

I'm also wondering, on my x-rays I have a slight narrowing between a couple of my vertebrae. Can yoga help that at all?

InnerAthlete · 05-21-2009, 01:52 PM

Protecting the Sacro-iliac joint requires actions in the body. Appropriate actions can allow a student with SI dysfunction to safely do some poses that a student without proper actions would do unsafely.

Generally speaking, seated forward bends are best avoided (or modified), movement from Ardha Chandrasana to Uttanasana in Surya Namaskar should be modified as should the reverse, Uttanasana to Ardha Chandrasana (or Urdhva Hastasana). Virabhadrasana may also need to be modified.

While we do not teach passive twisting in Purna Yoga™ I realize some do. Passive twisting is not "good" for the Sacro-Iliac joint. Some intense twists may also be contraindicated.

There are some therapeutic protocols for adjusting the sacrum, stabilizing it, putting it right, and keeping is secure, but that is a conversation best held in person between teacher and student.

kattylee223 · 12-01-2009, 10:43 PM

I think you should try up this method. Sacroiliac Joint Injections

Willem · 12-02-2009, 02:34 AM

Mukunda Stiles has an exercise for stabilising the SI-joint. There is a pdf-file with photographs lower down in the post.

It would be best if you learned this exercise from a structural yoga therapist. From personal experience, I know that it is almost impossible to perform an assessment on yourself and make proper recommendations based on this.

As to your earlier question - yes, yoga can help. One of my clients (70 years old) with SI-joint deterioration benefitted enormously from a simplified SI-joint exercise (prone) in combination with three exercises in cat position. This simple routine takes away his pain.

Best wishes for your health.

charliedharma · 12-02-2009, 07:27 AM

hello,IA aka Gordon thanks for post ,but not sure what you mean by passive twisting , can you clarify ? thanks

InnerAthlete · 12-04-2009, 01:14 PM

Passive twisting is a movement in only one plane (rotation) without a corresponding movement to counter compression in the vertebral bodies.

charliedharma · 12-09-2009, 10:31 AM

Thankyou Gordon for your response.

antonicadw · 12-19-2009, 10:36 PM

i have been batteling SIJ dysfunction for 2 years know since the birth of my youngest. I've seen several professional have lots of tests, physio weekly for a year, had prolotherapy...nothing works. Pain and a twisted pelvis and muscle thightness(from all the physio exercises) are with me 24/7. I am desperate. Tried youga, I love it and works for a while but lasts onlyfew hours. When I go to bed i wake up all twisted again. Then even yoga stopped working as I became increasingly very unstable through my pelvis.
PLEASE HELP as I believe that yoga can cure me. Also need a goo ayurvedic assesmentand management for emotional side. I could NOT find any SYT practitioner listed for Australia.
Can also a disc problemgiven me scoliosis like symptomsand perhaps the imbalance inthe pelvis that started my SIJ dysfunction?

Kind regards and thank and GOD BLESS !

Willem · 12-20-2009, 04:40 AM

Have you seen an osteopath or chiropractor yet?

There are no SYT therapists in Australia. You may be able to find an advanced teacher of Iyengar yoga who is able to work therapeutically. Or a skilled vini yoga teacher - they often work on an individual basis.

antonicadw · 01-05-2010, 11:35 PM

Thank you Willem for your answer, and yes, Ihave seena chiro and osteopath and nothing. Unfortunately, I don't know any yoga teacher that has the experience to help me. Ieven met Simon Borg- Olivier inperson for an assessment and he gave me some exercises to do for hipsand lower back but I ended up much worse. other than prayng to GOD I don't knowwhat else to do. I tried the MUKUNDA style exercises to stabilise the SI joints fail for me as I have increase instanbility at my L SI joint and throught my sacro-lumbarregion and a R SI joint that is norrowwed and arthritic with tendency to lock in an anterior pelvic rotation.
Who is intersted I would recommend to hhve alook at this following site, which seems to give me some control over my attempts to stabilizethe SI joints and decrease back pain. Still don't know howto reduce the instability though. Buthere it is, pretty good and God Bless:
http:/thelowback.com or google richard DONTigny and SI joint

Willem · 01-06-2010, 12:02 PM

If praying to God works for you, then it is a good system of pain control. Please continue. I'm serious ... pain can be adressed on all levels (known as koshas in yoga).

I had a look at your Dontigny home program for the SI joint. If this works for you, then please stay at it for a period of at least 6 - 8 weeks, practicing daily, or at least 3 -4 times a week. Be very gentle with yourself. Pain needs to be adressed with gentleness, preferably coordinating gentle movement with breath. Do not cause any additional pain by moving. As with any exercise program, it is best if you learned this from a professional.

From a quick look at Google, there seem to be quite a few yoga teachers in Brisbane. Call one or two of them and see if they can direct you to a yoga teacher who is able to work therapeutically (viniyoga, experienced Iyengar yoga).

Paul J · 02-07-2010, 05:58 AM

I suffered an injury to my SIJ last August from doing squats in the gym, the main area of pain was lower back on left side and the pain radiated to my hips and sometimes down to my calves where I felt a warm/heat sensation. I saw a chiropractor who seemed to fix the problem however the pain would recur between treatments.

I started doing bikram yoga and went weekly which although provided relief it was a style that couldn't really be practiced at home. I then discovered my local vinyassa-style yoga school in Mermaid Beach and combined with a few visits to a physiotherapist and home exercises I have been able to almost eliminate SIJ pain.

Hip-opening asanas have been the most beneficial for me but particularly pigeon which I find really stretches out my hip and legs.

Good luck with your healing process, yoga is definitely helping mine

05-21-2009, 01:52 PM	#2
InnerAthlete Mostly Good Egg Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,790	Protecting the Sacro-iliac joint requires actions in the body. Appropriate actions can allow a student with SI dysfunction to safely do some poses that a student without proper actions would do unsafely. Generally speaking, seated forward bends are best avoided (or modified), movement from Ardha Chandrasana to Uttanasana in Surya Namaskar should be modified as should the reverse, Uttanasana to Ardha Chandrasana (or Urdhva Hastasana). Virabhadrasana may also need to be modified. While we do not teach passive twisting in Purna Yoga™ I realize some do. Passive twisting is not "good" for the Sacro-Iliac joint. Some intense twists may also be contraindicated. There are some therapeutic protocols for adjusting the sacrum, stabilizing it, putting it right, and keeping is secure, but that is a conversation best held in person between teacher and student. __________________ Gordon Kaplan Certified Purna Yoga Teacher (CPYT) Yoga Alliance RYT-500 International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) M.S. Kinesiology, Indiana University http://www.teamyoga.com http://www.yogamojodojo.com http://www.innerathlete.net/forum

12-02-2009, 02:34 AM	#4
Willem dvishata Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 227	Mukunda Stiles has an exercise for stabilising the SI-joint. There is a pdf-file with photographs lower down in the post. It would be best if you learned this exercise from a structural yoga therapist. From personal experience, I know that it is almost impossible to perform an assessment on yourself and make proper recommendations based on this. As to your earlier question - yes, yoga can help. One of my clients (70 years old) with SI-joint deterioration benefitted enormously from a simplified SI-joint exercise (prone) in combination with three exercises in cat position. This simple routine takes away his pain. Best wishes for your health. Last edited by Willem; 12-02-2009 at 02:45 AM.

01-05-2010, 11:35 PM	#10
antonicadw dvi Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 2	Thank you Willem for your answer, and yes, Ihave seena chiro and osteopath and nothing. Unfortunately, I don't know any yoga teacher that has the experience to help me. Ieven met Simon Borg- Olivier inperson for an assessment and he gave me some exercises to do for hipsand lower back but I ended up much worse. other than prayng to GOD I don't knowwhat else to do. I tried the MUKUNDA style exercises to stabilise the SI joints fail for me as I have increase instanbility at my L SI joint and throught my sacro-lumbarregion and a R SI joint that is norrowwed and arthritic with tendency to lock in an anterior pelvic rotation. Who is intersted I would recommend to hhve alook at this following site, which seems to give me some control over my attempts to stabilizethe SI joints and decrease back pain. Still don't know howto reduce the instability though. Buthere it is, pretty good and God Bless: http:/thelowback.com or google richard DONTigny and SI joint Last edited by Techne; 01-06-2010 at 10:47 AM. Reason: tidying up

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05-20-2009, 04:18 PM	#1
Octobergirl pañcan Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 5	I posted earlier about low back pain and wondering if there any poses I should avoid or that would help my low back pain. I went to the doctor about it this week, and he said it is either SI joint pain or it could be disc deterioration. He said it sounds like SI joint pain. After doing some research about SI joint pain, my symptoms seem to be consistent with that. Do you know of any poses that help SI joint pain or ones that I should avoid? I'm also wondering, on my x-rays I have a slight narrowing between a couple of my vertebrae. Can yoga help that at all?

12-01-2009, 10:43 PM	#3
kattylee223 éka Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1	I think you should try up this method. Sacroiliac Joint Injections

12-02-2009, 07:27 AM	#5
charliedharma pañcaashát Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: cornwall uk Posts: 55	hello,IA aka Gordon thanks for post ,but not sure what you mean by passive twisting , can you clarify ? thanks

12-04-2009, 01:14 PM	#6
InnerAthlete Mostly Good Egg Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,790	Passive twisting is a movement in only one plane (rotation) without a corresponding movement to counter compression in the vertebral bodies.

12-09-2009, 10:31 AM	#7
charliedharma pañcaashát Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: cornwall uk Posts: 55	Thankyou Gordon for your response.

12-19-2009, 10:36 PM	#8
antonicadw dvi Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 2	i have been batteling SIJ dysfunction for 2 years know since the birth of my youngest. I've seen several professional have lots of tests, physio weekly for a year, had prolotherapy...nothing works. Pain and a twisted pelvis and muscle thightness(from all the physio exercises) are with me 24/7. I am desperate. Tried youga, I love it and works for a while but lasts onlyfew hours. When I go to bed i wake up all twisted again. Then even yoga stopped working as I became increasingly very unstable through my pelvis. PLEASE HELP as I believe that yoga can cure me. Also need a goo ayurvedic assesmentand management for emotional side. I could NOT find any SYT practitioner listed for Australia. Can also a disc problemgiven me scoliosis like symptomsand perhaps the imbalance inthe pelvis that started my SIJ dysfunction? Kind regards and thank and GOD BLESS !

12-20-2009, 04:40 AM	#9
Willem dvishata Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 227	Have you seen an osteopath or chiropractor yet? There are no SYT therapists in Australia. You may be able to find an advanced teacher of Iyengar yoga who is able to work therapeutically. Or a skilled vini yoga teacher - they often work on an individual basis.

01-06-2010, 12:02 PM	#11
Willem dvishata Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 227	If praying to God works for you, then it is a good system of pain control. Please continue. I'm serious ... pain can be adressed on all levels (known as koshas in yoga). I had a look at your Dontigny home program for the SI joint. If this works for you, then please stay at it for a period of at least 6 - 8 weeks, practicing daily, or at least 3 -4 times a week. Be very gentle with yourself. Pain needs to be adressed with gentleness, preferably coordinating gentle movement with breath. Do not cause any additional pain by moving. As with any exercise program, it is best if you learned this from a professional. From a quick look at Google, there seem to be quite a few yoga teachers in Brisbane. Call one or two of them and see if they can direct you to a yoga teacher who is able to work therapeutically (viniyoga, experienced Iyengar yoga).

02-07-2010, 05:58 AM	#12
Paul J éka Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Broadbeach, Australia Posts: 1	I suffered an injury to my SIJ last August from doing squats in the gym, the main area of pain was lower back on left side and the pain radiated to my hips and sometimes down to my calves where I felt a warm/heat sensation. I saw a chiropractor who seemed to fix the problem however the pain would recur between treatments. I started doing bikram yoga and went weekly which although provided relief it was a style that couldn't really be practiced at home. I then discovered my local vinyassa-style yoga school in Mermaid Beach and combined with a few visits to a physiotherapist and home exercises I have been able to almost eliminate SIJ pain. Hip-opening asanas have been the most beneficial for me but particularly pigeon which I find really stretches out my hip and legs. Good luck with your healing process, yoga is definitely helping mine