Anyone found Exercises to do when flaring/sacroiliac pain?

Cariad71

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and finding it a useful support tool so far!

Currently suffering a flare with sacroiliac pain being the predominant symptom, or certainly the one that's stopping me doing anything. Some Other joints sore but can deal with them.

Physio basically won't touch me when in an acute flare up (helpful) and I know all the core excercises etc they've advised in the past but in too much pain to do most of them. I certainly can't lie on the floor. When not flaring I'm quite active with swimming etc but just want to find something gentle I can do so I'm not sitting in a chair all day. Been trying to visit local gym which has a hydropool with warm water, all I seem to be able to do is some stretches in there (with funny looks from people). It only seems to help while I'm in the warm water but not after.

Has anyone found any gentle excercise in or out of water that can be done when suffering SI pain?

Grateful for any advice, thanks x

dreamdaisy

I cannot help at all but I empathise. My SI joints on both sides hurt all the time whether standing, sitting or lying. I have PsA and OA in many joints (plus a broken left arm) and exercise is not part of my life at the moment. I loathed hydrotherapy, lovely whilst in but utter misery once out! I hope the flare ends soon - ensure you rest, your body needs plenty of that when arthritis is active. DD

applerose

Sorry I can't help you but I'm interested in what others have to say. Hope you find something that helps.

stickywicket

I was always told - and the Arthritis Care booklet on exercise agrees - that one should exercise carefully and gently during a flare, doing just range-of-movement exercises rather than strengthening ones and then building up again afterwards. The AC booklet can be accessed here http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Selfmanagement/Healthylifestyle

I'm lucky in that my back's not too bad - well, the middle bit isn't Riding for the Disabled used to keep my back muscles strong and, once I had to give it up (The surgeon who did my knee revision was protecting his handiwork ), I bought an i-Joy Ride simulator which I use every day. For upper boy, including back, I also do exercises from the Rosemary Conley Ultimate Whole Body Workout DVD as it has a section you can do seated. To save time - and make more muscles work - I now do these while on my i-Joy Ride.

Cariad71

Thanks all, I will take a look at that booklet sticky wicket. And I-Joy riding sounds interesting!!

Went to the hydropool again today only to have some more weird looks from the people who only use it after their gym workouts, and one guy asking me 'what have you done to your leg then?'. I'm sure you're all familiar with that kind of comment! Spent about an hour in there just for some relief and to get out of the house.

DD i agree i didnt enjoy hydrotherapy at all, it does feel great when you're in warm water but the second you start stepping out all the heaviness and pain returns! Then there's the ordeal of getting showered and dressed for the second time Maybe I should get a jacuzzi at home

It's just that everything you seem to read/be advised is to stay relatively active so as not to seize up. Easier said than done when you're in pain!

Boomer13

Hi;

I do have a routine of exercises I do for my SI joint problems. They really help!! I got them from a physiotherapist a very long time ago so they are probably out of date but still very helpful for me. I would ask for some from your physio - when you are out of an acute flare up though. A few tips they gave me were: sitting with a rolled up towel behind the small of your back and something to raise up your feet so your knees are higher than your hips. This is to ensure you are flexing at the hip and not putting strain on the SI area. Any exercises should be done with a physio present at first to make sure you are doing them correctly.

Good luck, feel better soon.

Anna

stickywicket

Boomer13 wrote:

Any exercises should be done with a physio present at first to make sure you are doing them correctly.

Boomer's right of course. I should have said that :oops: But didn't :roll:

Cariad71

Thanks to all,

The booklet was good sticky, trying to do some of the range of movement excercises as they are nice and gentle. also found the NASS website useful and downloaded an iPad app with their excercises on video clips which is good, if anyone else is interested.

The trouble with physio is that it takes about 6-8 weeks to get seen from the time I self-refer to them. They're very short staffed which doesn't help, I'm under the ones at the hospital I work in but they told me to wait until I'm more stable to refer back to them as they can't do anything with me during a flare up. They did offer hydrotherapy and acupuncture but I've had these in the past and not found them much good.

I have also been guilty in the past of not keeping up the excercises they've given me, particularly when I was well but I now realise, with the help of a little telling off from the rheum dr, that the excercises are essential and sometimes as important as medication, especially in AS type conditions. I'm now promising myself if/when this flare up is over I'm going to be religious with my swimming and Pilates routine!!

stickywicket

Cariad71 wrote:

I have also been guilty in the past of not keeping up the excercises they've given me, particularly when I was well

Yup guilty as charged I only got serious, and regular, with them when I realised my whole mobility was threatened.

You could try private physio. My husband has a good one whom he sees when the odd twinge is threatening to keep him off the golf course. She's lovely but, like most physios outside the NHS, is a bit scared of touching me in case I break

barbara12

Hello and welcome to the forum
I get awful pain from the sacroiliac joint and like you cant get down the floor not with one wonky hip and a new one..I have been looking on the net for exercises..so I will watch your thread to see what people come up with..apparently its all to do with alignment...

applerose

Thank you for the link to the booklet Sticky. It was very helpful. Lots of info.