Pelvic instability gets caused by released hormones during pregnancy. The pregnancy hormones causes too much movement in the pelvis. The pelvic ligaments, the pelvic joints and pelvic bones are too mobile. Pelvic instability can cause a variety of inconveniences and pains. Think of pain in the lower back, around the pelvic bone, tail bone or in the groin. Pelvic instability happens with every pregnancy. Especially around the 18^th week, pelvic instability can be described as painful, but it doesn’t have to come with pain. If pain is experienced with pelvic instability, we call this pelvic pain. Pelvic instability is also called symphysiolysis by professionals. 

 

 

18 tips for pelvic instability: 
1. Slightly tense up the stomach. 
2. Warmth helps. 
3. Keep on moving. 
4. Belly band. 
5. Laying on bed. 
6. Exercising the abs. 
7. Changing your posture. 
8. Set a boundary. 
9. Ask for help. 
10. Sitting wide-legged. 
11. Actively stand up. 
12. Stand on both legs. 
13. Dress up seated. 
14. Bending over and lifting. 
15. Lifting and twisting. 
16. Pillow between the legs. 
17. Getting out of bed. 
18. Walking the stairs. 

 

Click here if you’re looking for pelvic floor muscle exercises or click here if you’re looking for products for your pelvis and go to the Pelvic Store. 

 

 

The most beautiful period of your life has arrived. Your pregnancy. But it can also turn out to be way different than what you hoped for. Your body has started to completely change. Creating your little miracle is a difficult task. Your belly grows, maybe you will be extremely nauseous, you get kicked from the inside and your hormones seem to be unhinged projectiles. I have collected a few useful tips for you if you experience issues with your widening pelvis because of the hormones. Here you can find 18 tips and advises for what you can do yourself to battle your pelvic instability and pelvic pain.  

 

 

Let us first talk about what pelvic instability and pelvic pain exactly are. It’s handy to have that be clear. 

 

 

What is pelvic instability? 

Pelvic instability means that your pelvis is becoming unstable. The pelvic joints become mobile because the pelvic ligaments become loose or weak. Pelvic instability mainly appears in pregnant women, but it can also get caused by a fall or a traumatic event for the pelvis.  

 

 

 

Causes of pelvic instability 

Pelvic instability during pregnancy isn’t something you can avoid. Every pregnant woman has pelvic instability, but they don’t always have the additional pelvic issues or pelvic pain. Pelvic instability gets caused by the weakening pelvic ligaments. One person gets pelvic pain because of the pelvic instability, and the other finds the pelvic instability easy to handle. The further into your pregnancy, the more you can experience the issues coming from the stretching pelvic ligaments. You will mainly feel and see a lot of changes around the 18^th week. Your belly will grow beautifully around this period. The weight on the pelvis increases which gives the overburdened pelvic ligaments a lot more to carry. Your pelvis is also preparing itself for childbirth starting from the 18^th week. The pelvis becomes wider and prepares itself for the baby.  

 

 

Symptoms of pelvic instability 

A lot of additional pressure is added to the pelvis and pelvic ligaments because of the growing belly. The pelvic floor muscles around the uterus also get a lot more to endure. Your uterus is growing and growing. The pelvic floor muscles and pelvic ligaments, that normally are keeping the uterus in its place, will now be stretched out to the max. This can cause pain in the pelvic ligaments, thus you will experience pelvic pain. You can recognize this by the sharp, stabbing pain in the abdomen. It’s an abdominal pain that lasts. The pelvic pain is also consistent and won’t be quick to stop.  

 

 

The symptoms of pelvic instability are often pretty widespread, you will find the 7 most common symptoms below. 

 

 

7 symptoms of pelvic instability: 

1. A nagging or stabbing pain in the lower back, tailbone, hips, buttocks, groin or around the pelvis. 
2. Pelvic pain during walking the stairs. 
3. A nagging pain when you stand. 
4. Pelvic pain while seated. 
5. Pelvic pain while swimming. 
6. Pelvic pain while turning around in bed. 
7. Pelvic pain while cycling or driving. 

The difference between pelvic pain, pelvic instability and pelvic issues 

Pelvic issues, pelvic pain and pelvic instability. They all sound like the same issue, but they are extremely different from each other. Pelvic issues can be every occurring issue in the pelvic area. Think of erection issues, vaginismus, a prolapse, urinary incontinence, you name it. Pelvic pain is when you truly experience pain in or around the pelvis, which is a pelvic issue by itself. Pelvic instability mainly only occurs in women during or after pregnancy. There are also cases of men or women that aren’t pregnant, but in their case, it could be caused by a fall or a traumatic event for the pelvis.  

 

 

Now that this has been cleared up, let’s go to the tips! If it still isn’t too clear to you, or if you simply want to know more, then take a look at my other blogs. I have collected and summed up everything when it comes to your pelvis!  

 

 

18 tips of decreasing pelvic instability: 

1. Slightly tense up the stomach: Always tense up the abs a little, so not only during working out or training, but also when you’re grabbing a glass from the cupboard or getting a jar of pickles from the pantry. Slightly retract your belly button. This way your belly won’t massively hang. The more the weight is hanging, the more your pelvis has to endure. Your womb will hang a lot as well, which will cause a stabbing pain. Slightly tense up the stomach, don’t over do it. The lower back needs to be flat, so not hollow or rounded. 
2. Warmth helps: Warmth helps! Warmth helps relieve the pelvic pain and pain around the pelvic ligaments. Use a microwavable bean bag or a jug. Your pelvic muscles will be able to relax and will get a proper blood flow. You’ll notice that you will crave a jug moment after a long day. Take a moment for yourself so that you won’t forget or won’t wave it away. Relax the painful spot and you will experience relief. 
3. Keep on moving: Heavy physical labor or standing or sitting for a long time, will not help you. Make sure that you change your posture and balance out your activities with enough rest. Plan in your moments of rest throughout the day. Do you have a job where you’re seated? Then take a walk. Do you have to stand a lot during your job? Then take a break to sit down. Switch up your posture when you have pelvic instability.  
4. Belly band: An eventual belly band or belly wrap will be able to give you that extra bit of support when you’re experiencing pelvic instability. This can provide you the support you’re looking for. You can easily find those online and they’re often affordable. Your local pelvic physical therapist or pelvic practitioner will be able to suit you up with one as well, plus you will be guaranteed of quality. 
5. Laying on bed: Stay active and don’t let the pain make you bed-bound. This will only give you more pelvic pain. The health and strength of your pelvic floor muscles ensure stability, for your pelvic instability as well! However, muscles, including your pelvic floor muscles, can only stay healthy when they receive movement. You can achieve this by taking a walk but also by doing pregnancy yoga or pregnancy gym. Switch up your activities by plenty of rest. Lie down for a moment after every moment of activity. Find your balance between movement and resting. 
6. Exercising the abs: The abs play an important role when it comes to preventing pelvic pain or decreasing pelvic pain and pelvic instability. The stronger your abs are, the easier they are able to provide you of comfort, just like your pelvic ligaments, so to speak. When it comes to abs, your transverse abdominal muscles are especially important. These are transversing towards your pelvis and are an incredible support for your pelvic area. You need to keep in mind that they start at your breastbone and transverse across your abdomen towards your pubic bone. It’s like an essential cable network to keep it all together. Your straight abs (the blocks) are being stretched out because of your growing belly, and you just need to let that happen. Which means that you shouldn’t focus on working on your straight abs when you’re pregnant, but the transverse abs can help provide you of stability when you experience pelvic instability. Looking for suitable exercises to train your transverse abdominal muscles? Then take a look at my muscle strengthening exercises that can help you during your pregnancy.  
7. Switching the posture: As mentioned before, switching between activity and resting is crucial, hence why this is deserving of it’s own note! Plan moments of rest in your schedule. When you feel you’re been active, take your rest as well!  
8. Set a boundary: To manage tip 7, you especially need to listen to your own body. When you feel tired, immediately take a moment to rest. Don’t postpone it. You can damage the pelvic ligaments with being over active. It’s not enough to just compensate. For example, if we feel pain in our left foot, we automatically start using our right foot more. But this means that the right foot will become overburdened. It means the same for your pelvis. If you take on another posture, other muscles may become overburdened. Try not to do this and take rest properly!  
9. Ask for help: Maybe this isn’t something that you like to do or hear, but others are able to help you, especially now. Clearly state your boundaries and ask for help when you’re experiencing pelvic instability. Whether it’s your employer or your partner. Let someone else do heavy physical chores. It’s a nice feeling if your partner clears out the dishwasher for a chance. Same counts for vacuuming. This is more intense than you might think, especially when you experience pelvic pain next to having pelvic instability. 
10. Sitting wide-legged 
    Is there a draft around here? Maybe it isn’t a charming thought, but it’s wholly effective: Sitting wide-legged when you suffer from pelvic instability. Closing or even crossing your legs while you’re sitting enormously stretches out the pelvic ligaments and may even cause damage to them. Be a man and keep your legs on hip-width when you sit. Another comfortable position is the tailor-style. Try it out, it’s godly!  
11. Actively standing: Retract your belly button whenever you stand up. Don’t retract it like an idiot, but retract it slowly and lightly. Try to stand up while your belly button is retracted. Now you will tense up the muscles that support your pelvis during tricky movements. Before you get out of bed or get up from a chair, make sure your belly button is slightly retracted and that you’re sitting on the edge of the bed or chair. Place one feet against the bed or chair, and place the other foot slightly forward. Slightly move forward with a straight back and firmly press your feet against the surface. Keep your back straight, look straight forward and tense up those nice buttocks. Now you’re ready to go! Properly and consciously tense up your abs whenever you want to stand up when you’re dealing with pelvic instability.  
12. Stand on both legs: Dividing weight and stability play an important role when it comes to standing. Always stand up straight with a flat lower back, so not hollowed, which is a common sight among pregnant women. Don’t switch up your legs. Lean and stand on both legs, otherwise one leg has to catch all of the weight which will cause you to hang in your pelvic ligaments, which are already heavily taxed because of the pelvic instability. Stand up straight, divided on both legs, with a flat lower back and slightly bent knees. This is the best way to divide the weight. 
13. Dress up seated: Being naked is nice, but not always appropriate. It’s nice to wear clothes once in a while. And when you do dress up, preferably do it seated. You often stand on one leg, for example when you’re putting on pants. You should really try to avoid doing this (and I am not talking about avoiding wearing pants). You can lose balance and perhaps even fall. Standing with a big belly is something to get used to, let alone when you have to stand on one leg, especially when you’re trying to put on a sock. You won’t be the first to end up upside-down because of a sock.  
14. Bending over and lifting: Ducking and lifting. Sounds like a fun new duo. You probably want to avoid this duo when you have pelvic instability, they’re pretty taxing. Because your gravitational point has changed, you need to lift and bend over differently. You had to lower through your knees beforehand to pick something up, maybe you didn’t always do that in a proper way, but now it is necessary to do it the proper way. Lower yourself through your knees and keep your belly between the legs. Keep your back straight and look straight forward. You can also apply the popular squat technique to bend over and to lift. Here you also need to keep your back straight and make sure to not topple forwards or backwards. Bending over or lifting properly prevents additional pelvic pain and doesn’t additionally overwhelm the pelvic ligaments. 
15. Lifting and twisting: Lifting and twisting, the new duo after ducking and lifting. Twisting and turning is a common enemy. Even without pelvic instability or outside of a pregnancy you shouldn’t twist your spine too much. Back issues caused by a wrong twist is a very common occurrence. Never combine twisting with another movement, then you will be double taxed. Don’t twist your back, but twist your entire body when you grab a cup from the cupboard behind you.  
16. Pillow between the legs: A delightful thing to have when you have pelvic instability during pregnancy (but secretly apart from this as well) is having a pillow between the legs, especially in a supportive manner. Lay in bed or on the couch, on your side, with bent legs. Now place the pillow between the legs. Your knees and legs will remain separated, just like when you’re seated. You will also relax the pelvic ligaments, and yourself of course. 
17. Getting out of bed: Standing up straight from your bed when you have pelvic instability is something you won’t be able to do after a while. Your belly will be in the way. Firstly, roll on your side while laying down. Let your lower legs fall over the edge of the bed and push your body up from your address with your lower arm. Now you are seated on the edge of the bed. A handy trick. Now you can apply tip 11, and there you go! If rolling in bed also is a challenge for you, I have another tip you can use. First lay on your back with stretched legs. Bend the knee furthest away from the edge and firmly place that foot on the mattress. Turn your knee towards the edge of the bed, you’ll automatically roll along.  
18. Walking the stairs: The stairs also causes you to keep standing on 1 leg. Not really a nice thing (which you now know) when you have pelvic instability. Try to avoid walking the stairs as much as possible when you’re pregnant, especially when you have pelvic instability. Put all of your necessities downstairs. Think of diapers, baby clothes and rags (if you already have a little one) or other things that you might need throughout the day. If you really need to walk the stairs, move with caution. Take it step by step and make sure that you keep walking straight. Retract your belly button slightly, which will automatically tense up your transverse abs. Use the railing, but don’t lean too much on it. Take breaks in between if necessary. Don’t walk in one go, or too fast. If necessary, you can walk down the stairs backwards. 

 

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