Thread: SI joint exercises for student?

Hi BD teachers,

Do any of you have exercise ideas for a student who suffers from pain in her SI joint?

Sabra*

Trying to describe something online is tricky, and describing things to someone who's going to describe them to someone else even moreso!

So I'd send her straight to my source. Here's a book [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Back-Care-Basics-Doctors-Program/dp/0962713821/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232116013&sr= 8-5]Amazon.com: Back Care Basics: A Doctor's Gentle Yoga Program for Back and Neck Pain Relief: Mary Pullig Schatz, William Connor, B.K.S. Iyengar: Books[/ame] that has a nice section on SI joint pain.

There are other books, of course, and videos, but I've personally worked with this one, and you can't beat the credentials of the authors.

You could also search yogajournal for SI joint or sacroiliac -- they work with some brilliant yoga writers who are also physical therapists.

I have to second what Lauren is saying--describing online to someone who has to interpret and then describe it again makes me just a little hinky...especially given that I don't know whether said student's SI pain is caused by a joint that's too mobile or jammed in the wrong place (both issues cause pain, but require slightly different responses.)

I've personally dealt with a LOT of SI pain/SI issues myself, and seriously, I'd recommend the student find a good sports physician and/or physical therapist.

If the area/ligaments are too loose and the joint slides (very painful), there are many exercises that strengthen the muscles in the area and help hold it in place better.

If the issue is an inflexible/jammed joint in the wrong position, there are some stretches for the piriformus and other exercise that can help ease the joint back into place...and then there are some appropriate strengthening exercises to help it stay in the right place.

If I were a teacher I wouldn't feel comfortable recommended exercises to someone with this problem...it needs to be dealt with by a medically trained person.

OMG I'm dealing with this (again) NOW! Your student should really see a physical therapist to determine the correct exercises she should be doing. She could be hyper- or hypo-mobile, and the exercises needed would follow that. The hypermobile SI joint is the trickier of the 2 situations. Mirah, I PM'd you----I would REALLY like to hear your experience, as I would love to feel some support with someone else dealing with this!!