When I was pregnant (4 years ago)I strained my sacroiliac (SI) joint. I know that once you do that you are at risk for re-injury and I have done just so 4 or 5 times since the original injury. The worst re-injury occurred last summer while I was running with a double jogging stroller. Since that time, just the littlest thing seems to "flare" it up. I switched from running to walking to try to prevent such re-injury but just this past weekend it flared up again while carrying a suitcase through a train station. However, I feel like it has never 100% healed and have felt twinges of soreness in the right SI joint area off and on for the past year. My question is, what can I do to prevent further re-injuries? Most importantly, can I swim during recovery phase especially during the "acute" phase or will this aggravate it further? I have an appt. to see an Orthopedist to get referred to PT but that is not for several weeks (the earliest appt. I could get) and am going crazy not doing anything to stay in shape. I am icing it every 3 to 4 hours and will do so for 3 days and then switch to heat. I'm getting very frustrated with this "chronic injury" especially since there is very little helpful info out there about SI joint strains or sprains, preventions, treatments, and what types of aerobic exercises are "safe" to perform during recovery and thereafter. Do you have any info. on the SI joint and strains/sprains?? And can I swim???Thank you in advance for your expertise. I truly appreciate any and all info. you have to offer.
Wendy, the irritated SI joint is a problem for runners. Especially female runners after a pregnancy. Swimming is a great activity, but make sure you avoid breastroke. Flutter kicking is OK. In fact, you could use a kick board without too much trouble. I also suggest that you wear an SI belt - one that takes purchase off of the sacrum and the ASIS. Not too complicated. I also suggest that you continue to use ice aggressively, and further, avoid heat - it doesn't really help much. Mostly, you want to keep the joint from getting hurt so the ligaments can "harden up" - which they would do if you were closer to your pregnancy - now 4 years out, it is really more a matter of keeping from reinjuring yourself.
