What is Pelvic Girdle pain?

Women’s Health Physiotherapy in Galway

Pelvic Girdle Pain

Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) is pain and dysfunction at the joints that make up your pelvic girdle. PGP is commonly associated with pregnancy and childbirth. It is often felt as pain / discomfort in your low back, over the pubic bone, your lower tummy, down the front or back of your thighs or into the groins, or dragging or pain in the lower abdomen.

For normal function at the pelvis, we require our bones, joints, muscles and ligaments to work together in balance and harmony.  PGP is caused when the system becomes imbalanced, with some structures stiff and tight, while other structures become lengthened and weak.  The sooner PGP is identified and assessed, the better it can be managed.

Assessment and Treatment of Pelvic Girdle Pain

Your physiotherapy session will start with a thorough assessment to work out why your symptoms are occurring.

Treatment can help your PGP symptoms by:

• loosening tight structures with hands on work
• implementing a patient specific exercise program to stretch and strengthen muscle groups
• improving posture

Research evidence and guidelines on Pelvic Girdle Pain

At Evidence Based Therapy Centre, we remain up to date on the latest research and clinical evidence, which guides our assessment and treatment. This allows us to gain optimum results.

For example the European guidelines for the treatment of Pelvic Girdle pain published in 2008 specifically recommend individualised exercise prescription by a chartered physiotherapist. In addition there have been several researh studies which demonstrate the effectiveness of stability exercises after pregnancy in women with pelvic girdle pain. These stability exercises may also include post-natal Pilates exercises. This is a modified form of Pilates suitable for women after pregnancy. Read more about our ante / post-natal and pregnancy Pilates here. Our Women’s Health physiotherapist is also  guided by:

• ACPWH guidelines – Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health
• NICE guidelines – National Institute for Clinical Excellence
• CSP guidelines – Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• HSE guidelines – Health Service Executive
• ACOG guidelines – American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

If you think you might be suffering from Pelvic Girdle pain, call today on 091 727777 to book an appointment with Sylvia Farrell – Chartered Physiotherapist in Women’s Health. Alternatively you can get in touch via the contact page.