Question: Hi, I am 17 weeks pregnant with my 2nd one and I have been experiencing pelvic girdle pain (PGP) for almost 2 weeks now. The pain will come and go but when the pain is there, I can’t even move my right leg, can’t even sit properly or stand up. The pain will last for about 7-10 minutes. I have never experienced this during my first pregnancy. What should I do?

Answer: There are a number of possible causes for pain in the pelvic girdle during pregnancy. Some of them are very minor, but some are slightly more serious. If you are experiencing nerve symptoms such as sharp jolts of pain, numbness, tingling or pins and needles, you should get that checked out. If the pain is more muscular then a few simple stretches might give you a lot of relief. At 17 weeks you will have started to put on a little weight, meaning your centre of gravity will be starting to shift a little. This can lead to more pressure in the hip joints.

The stretch that will provide relief will depend on where the pain is. If the pain is in the front of your hip, try the “Hip Flexor Stretch” outlined in the video on my website. If the pain is in the back of the hip (buttock) or lower back region, lay on your back and hug your knees to your chest, one at a time. There are some pictures and guidelines on stretching in a previous article I wrote on The New Age Parents. The stretch I mentioned is “Stretch 2”.

With both of these stretches, avoid overstretching, just do them gently to begin with. There are hormones related to your pregnancy that make your ligaments more lax (loose), so you only have to do a little stretching to get a good result. Aim to repeat each stretch three times and hold for 10 seconds each time.

You should experience some relief pretty quickly if this is the case. If you find the pain persists or worsens in a few days it is worth seeking professional advice to figure out what the cause of the pain is. Best of luck with it!

By Dr Chris Jones

Dr Chris Jones a Registered Osteopath and Member of the Australian Osteopathic Association since 2002. A published author on the treatment of pelvic pain during pregnancy and specialises in the treatment of children, Chris’s Singapore clinic is a family-oriented practice that seeks to help people of all ages with all conditions.

For more info, visit his website.

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