Category Archives: ligaments

Why I switched from chiropractor visits to the Muscle Energy Technique (and finally got better!).

Hello hello everyone!  In this post I wanted to clarify another concept readers often ask me about. If you’ve read through my story, you probably know that a big turning point in my healing came in the summer of 2016. I had been struggling with SI joint dysfunction for five years at that point, and itContinue reading “Why I switched from chiropractor visits to the Muscle Energy Technique (and finally got better!).”

When should you take painkillers and push through pain?

Hi everyone! This post was inspired by a conversation I had with a reader in our SI Joint Saga Discussion group. This reader asked for my thoughts on her new exercise plan from a physical therapist.  She had SI joint issues as well as sciatica, which sent pain down into her hamstrings (the muscles inContinue reading “When should you take painkillers and push through pain?”

Can you heal the SI joints without prolotherapy?

Hi everyone! I had a really interesting question from a reader recently, and I wanted to pass along my answer to you. A. wanted to know if I’d ever tried prolotherapy, or any other forms of regenerative medicine. He wrote, “I have found that if the problem is ligament laxity, then swimming (I have startedContinue reading “Can you heal the SI joints without prolotherapy?”

Lumbar Spine Epiphany, Part 1

Hi everyone! This has been like, a month of epiphanies for me. As you may have seen on Sunlight in Winter, I’ve realized recently that I probably do have fibromyalgia, after all these years of going without a diagnosis. And now, on the subject of the lumbar spine, I’ve had another epiphany, thanks to a readerContinue reading “Lumbar Spine Epiphany, Part 1”

SI Joint Injections, Part 3: Will an SI joint injection help you?

Hi everyone! In my recent posts, I’ve been talking about lidocaine and cortisone injections for the SI joints– the various risks and benefits your doctor should tell you up front. However, I wanted to address a larger question I had when I first looked into them, and why I, personally, decided not to proceed. AndContinue reading “SI Joint Injections, Part 3: Will an SI joint injection help you?”

SI Joint Injections, Part 1: Lidocaine

Hi everyone! Here’s a subject that’s been coming up a lot recently, which I always take as a sign it’s time to get an official post up! What I wanted to talk to you about today is the topic of lidocaine and cortisone injections for the SI joints. These are the injections that a specialist,Continue reading “SI Joint Injections, Part 1: Lidocaine”

A chiropractor explains why he doesn’t believe adjustments can heal SI joint dysfunction

Hi everyone! I just happened to stumble across this fascinating article from Marc Heller, DC, about how he doesn’t think the chiropractic profession adequately manages SI joint dysfunction.  (It’s from the 2015 issue of the magazine Dynamic Chiropractic). I wanted to share it with you all because it echoes some of the same points I’veContinue reading “A chiropractor explains why he doesn’t believe adjustments can heal SI joint dysfunction”

Why Julie decided to pursue prolotherapy

Hi everyone! I am totally grateful to longtime reader Julie, who emailed me yesterday about her own experience consulting a doctor for prolotherapy. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept, prolotherapy is a relatively new form of treatment in which a special solution consisting mainly of sugar is injected into the ligamentsContinue reading “Why Julie decided to pursue prolotherapy”

Why do “perfectly good” exercises sometimes not help?

I haven’t written a ton on my multiple physical therapy failures yet, because unfortunately there are so many. For now, let me just say that my physical therapist Paula, who finally helped me, was actually the fifth physical therapist I saw over the course of this journey. The first four offered varying degrees of helpfulness vs. unhelpfulness, but ultimatelyContinue reading “Why do “perfectly good” exercises sometimes not help?”

Massage and Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Update, August 2022: A lot has changed for me, since I learned how to stabilize my SI joints. I’m happy to say that I’ve moved past needing regular massages. I wanted to leave this post up so you can see my whole journey, but to see how I’m doing now, go here. *** And now,Continue reading “Massage and Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction”