hypermobility

[faeriegirl]

i have always had hypermobility in my joints and as a young person was quite fit i used to do gymnastics , circus , trampolining and horse riding and was forever spraining my ankles/knees .... now in my 2nd pregnancy after my 2nd visit to physio for intense pelvic pain i have been told it is due to hypermobility of the pelvic muscles - they just arent doing what they are supposed to so i have been given exercises and a support bandage thingo and been told not to run around after my son (yeah right)!@! but i am still finding it extreemly painfull :eek: has anyone experienced this before and maybe have any tips/advice for me (apart from swimming) i would be very greatfull TIA

[Mother Goose]

Hi Jess,

I too have hypermobility but have been lucky with my pregnancy so far. I HAVE found that one of my ankles is showing signs of hyper extension but I am simply being mindful of how i walk and manipulating my stance as I walk if that makes sense? I have no advice about the hips I'm afraid but just want you to know I can understand and relate to the problem (to a certain extent!). Did the physio give you some exercises to do?

MG

[faeriegirl]

yeah thanks i have some exercises some with a fitball and other gentle things to do when i get a chance at the moment it is when im not running around after a toddler or trying to put my feet up to try and stop them from being so puffy LOL but i really do want to make it better so i am trying

[Pandora]

I thinkKerry has some experience with this, I will point her in the direction of your post.

[kerry]

Hi Jess, sorry that you aren't having all that much fun atm with your pg. I have severe hypermobility affecting all joints. During my pg I was diagnosed (very early) with SPD (sympathis pubis dysfunction) and needed to wear a brace and do physio. However after searching the net and discussions with my briliant OB I decided to try a chiro. It was a total godsend and considering at 21w I was bearly walking (little teeny tiny shuffle steps) the chiro kept me on my feet and functioning. Initially I went once a week then I went once a fortnight after the first month.

If you decide to go down this path (chiro) you need to ring around and find one who is confident and experienced in treating pg women and also treating either SPD or Ostitis Pubis (what aussie rules footballers get). You could also ask if they are familiar with the Weber technique. This is a technique designed by a US chiro to help turn breech babies... knowledge of this would be a good indication of expereince treating pg women and also would mean that they have some degree of training into the treatment of SPD.

For your info The treatment I receieved was some very minor and gentle lower back manipulation to line up my hips, emphasis here is on gentle, then for my Pubis (which had vertually seperated when I started treatment) it was impact with a little hammer punch along the pubic bone. It wasn't the nicest or most pleasant treatment but by the next morning I was walking pain free.. then gradually over the next fortnight the pain would come back, but never as bad as the previous time.

Some Other Tips for Coping with Pubic Symphysis Pain

Use a pillow between your legs when sleeping; body pillows are a great investment!

Use a pillow under your 'bump' (pregnancy tummy) when sleeping

Keep your legs and hips as parallel/symmetrical as possible when moving or turning in bed

Some women also find it helpful to have their partners stabilize their hips and hold them 'together' when rolling over in bed or otherwise adjusting position

Some women report a waterbed mattress to be helpful

Silk/satin sheets and nighties may make it easier to turn over in bed

Swimming may help relieve pressure on the joint

Deep water aerobics (not recommended if you have hypermobility as there is no joint resistance in the water!) or deep water running may be helpful as well (there are flotation devices to help you stay afloat easily during this; you do not need to know how to swim in order to do this)

Keep your legs close together and move symmetrically (other sources recommend a very small gap between the legs with symmetrical movement)

When standing, stand symmetrically, with your weight evenly distributed through both legs

Sit down to get dressed, especially when putting on underwear or pants

Avoid 'straddle' movements

Swing your legs together as a unit when getting in and out of cars; use plastics or something smooth and slippery (like a garbage bag) on the car seat to help you enter car backwards and then turn your legs as a unit (THIS WORKS SO WELL)

An ice pack may feel soothing and help reduce inflammation in the pubic area; I used to carry a small coke bottle filled with ice and sit with it between my legs... before chiro it was my only relief.

painkillers may also help

Move slowly and without sudden movements

If sex is uncomfortable for you, use lots of pillows under your knees, or try other positions

If bending over to pick up objects is difficult, there are devices available that can help with this

Really severe cases may need crutches, although these should probably only be used as a last resort

Sciatica may be helped by stretching the hamstring muscles with a stirrup around your foot (long piece of rope, two neck ties tied together, etc.)

Some women report that pelvic binders/maternity support belts are helpful for pelvic painm but if the pelvic bones are really misaligned, some women report more pain with these. Listen to your body on whether to use these

I found keeping some degree of activity resulted in less pain than total rest.

Pelvic rocks (getting on all fours and then slowly tilting the angle of the pelvis back and forth) are general recommended exercises for all pregnant women, plus they help promote good birth positions for baby. They can also help ease tight low back muscles. It is usually recommended to do 2-3 sets of 40 of these throughout the day. You can also do them sitting or standing against a wall, but on all fours is often most comfortable and has the added effect of helping the baby's position, which may be important with SPD.

I hope this helps... there is heaps of info online about SPD and things that can healp easy the pain... above all else listen to you body... if doing something makes the pain/discomfort worse then stop.

Hoping that your pg is soon pain free and easy so0 that you can enjoy growing your baby.

[kerry]

Back again...

I forgot to add that the SPD / pelvic pain can linger post-partum as hormones (relaxin) return to normal. Also if breast feeding this can be prolonged. So don't stress that something is "broken" (yep btdt) if things are still playing up post birth.

OH, and make sure you discuss your hypermobility with your OB. If your hips were affected by it prior to pg or the birth of your son make sure you mention how and if the previous pg/birth affected them.

[faeriegirl]

wow fantastic thanks ! that is great help i dont actually have SPD apparrently there isnt any asymetry in my hips/pelvis which seems odd to me but i am greatfull alot of the time it feels like i have been "kicked in the groin" sounds weird huh but i will definately look into some of your suggestions thanks again

[kerry]

it feels like i have been "kicked in the groin" sounds weird huh

Not wierd at all. I know that feeling oh so well. Don't forget with hypermobility your condition itself can 'mask' any asymetry. Part of the joys with hypermobility is that joints can subluxate at various times. I'm not saying you have SPD but it sounds very similar. Hell I'm not saying you have anything... I have absolutely no qualifications in anything... although if there was a degree in typing on forums I'd be getting a HD with honours..lol.

Never be afraid to get a second opinion.

The plastic bag under your bum for getting in an out of bed/the car is a great trick. Oh and ice between you legs... omg the relief... I can still remember driving home from work with a frozen ****e bottle between my legs and getting pulled over for a routine breath test... the poor young cop seemed very confused... no I was fully clothed and it was like the bottle was just resting between my legs between sips... but why was it clear and why was there a teatowel??...