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04 Thu

Fix your pelvis

Fix your pelvis

Paul Kochoa, PT, DPT, OCS, CKTP, CGFI

 

A couple weeks ago, I posted Check your Pelvis.  Today, I’m going to talk about how to fix it.  To review, the pelvis is a ring made up of three bones.  When that ring is disrupted because your bones may be out of alignment, then you wind up with problems.

Just this past week, I’ve had two patients come in who had low back pain due to a pelvic misalignment.  The pain may be present in the lower back or near the sacroiliac joint (which is in the back of the pelvis), but the problem may stem from your pubic symphysis joint being out of position.  We were able to reduce the pain and misalignment with a simple technique we in the PT business call, the “shotgun” technique.

If you suspect that your pelvis is out, and it’s due to your pubic joint, you can use this easy muscle energy technique to try and fix it, using your own hip and pelvis muscles.  You’ll need a belt and a basketball.

You start lying on your back, with your knees bent and your feet hip width apart, flat on the floor.  Place the belt around your knees, cinch the belt but keep your feet, knees, and hips in line with each other.  Now press your knees outward against the resistance of the belt.  Hold this contraction for 10 seconds.  Repeat up to 10 times.  Now, remove the belt and then immediately place the basketball between the knees, and then squeeze your knees together against the ball.  Hold this contraction for 10 seconds.  Repeat up to 10 times.

Here’s a video to check out the mechanics:


If it works, you should feel some immediate relief.  Usually I do a pre-check and a post-check, meaning that a movement or position that was painful prior to doing a specific intervention (in this case, the “shotgun”) will feel better after performing the intervention.  The above intervention should not be painful, create tingling sensations in your legs, or create a loss of bowel or bladder control. (Danger, Will Robinson!)  If that happens, seek medical attention immediately.

Otherwise, it should feel like you fixed your pelvic alignment and your should feel better with less pain and more tolerance to moving and other stuff.

If you would like more information, please call Professional Physical Therapy and Training at 973-270-7417.  Our offices are located within the YMCA locations in Madison and Summit, NJ.  You do not need to be a member of the YMCA to visit us.

 

 

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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