Tag: chronic pain

exercise, Resources, Stretching

Stretches for the hamstrings, and how to protect the SI joints while stretching

Hey everyone! I’ve been getting a ton of requests for info on the stretches that helped me recover from SI joint dysfunction. In this post, I thought I’d focus specifically on the hamstrings. The hamstrings are a pretty major muscle group in the body– they run up and down the back of your thigh, connecting the back of your knee to the bottom of the … Continue reading Stretches for the hamstrings, and how to protect the SI joints while stretching

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins9 Comments
For Patients, Resources

SI joint awareness is growing– check out this article from TIME Magazine

My God.  We have come so far from the days when I could hardly find any information on the SI joint, and felt like such a freak. I recently discovered this awesome article on the SI joint from TIME magazine: How your butt can hurt your back (what a title!).  It’s kind of accurate, though. I find it so validating to find more and more … Continue reading SI joint awareness is growing– check out this article from TIME Magazine

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins4 Comments
Chiropractors, Manual Therapy, Physical Therapy, Resources

What I think chiropractic has to offer

My friend Paul briefly dated a chiropractor once, a few years ago.  We all went out to dinner one night and I basically asked her as many questions as I could about what it was like to be a chiropractor without crossing the line into being annoying.  (At least, I hope I didn’t cross the line!). I was just so curious– after all the chiropractors I’ve … Continue reading What I think chiropractic has to offer

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Anatomy, For Patients, My Writing, Resources

Why are there so many doctors who treat “the hip,” but not the SI joint?

Okay, so here’s a post I definitely could have used back in the day, so I’m putting it out there in case it helps! *** When I first began to experience SI joint dysfunction, I thought of it as “hip pain.”  After all, in our day to day lives, we usually refer to the region around our pelvis and waist as “the hips.” However, when … Continue reading Why are there so many doctors who treat “the hip,” but not the SI joint?

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins4 Comments
For Patients, My Writing, Resources

Physiatrists: A great type of specialist to see for SI joint dysfunction

The word physiatrist is always a little awkward.  When I say the word in real life, people usually have no idea what I’m talking about, or think I’m talking about a psychiatrist at first. But a physiatrist is different.  They are doctors (usually an MD, but also can be a DO– doctor of osteopathy.  For our purposes right now, we don’t need to get into the distinction). … Continue reading Physiatrists: A great type of specialist to see for SI joint dysfunction

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins5 Comments
My Writing, Resources

Major structures of the pelvis– views from the front

Hi everyone, I often hear from people who are struggling to tell whether their pain is coming from the SI joint, or another potential cause of low back/hip pain. I know from personal experience that it can be really overwhelming to try to wrap your mind around exactly all of the things that could be causing your pain. So here, with illustrations, is a guide … Continue reading Major structures of the pelvis– views from the front

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins3 Comments
Anatomy, Joint Anatomy, Manual Therapy, Muscle Energy Technique, My Writing, Resources, SI Joint Concepts

How exactly does the Muscle Energy Technique work?

Hello, everyone.  I’ve noticed that my page on the Muscle Energy Technique is one of my pages that gets the most traffic from search engines.   It seems like a topic people are really searching for answers on, so I figured I’d try to explain some more of the specifics. I use the Muscle Energy Technique, or MET for short, to realign my SI joints. … Continue reading How exactly does the Muscle Energy Technique work?

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins12 Comments
Core Strength, Strengthening

Start building core strength with exercises that are gentle on the SI joints and lower back

I received a really interesting comment on Sunlight in Winter the other day. It was from Maritza, who suffers from both SI joint dysfunction and lumbar spine issues (the term “lumbar spine” refers to the part of the spine that’s in your lower back). Maritza wrote: Her comment inspired me to share some information with you guys, in a new way that I might not … Continue reading Start building core strength with exercises that are gentle on the SI joints and lower back

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins4 Comments
Daily Life, exercise, For Patients, Muscle Energy Technique, My Story, Resources

My awesome stretching table

Hey everyone, One of the biggest challenges I faced during my healing journey was being able to perform basic movements without pain. A lot of the exercises and stretches I knew I should be doing required me to get down onto the floor, but even the simple act of getting down onto the floor would put too much strain on my ligaments, causing my SI … Continue reading My awesome stretching table

Unknown's avatarChristy Collins7 Comments
Anatomy, For Patients, ligaments, My Writing, Resources

What’s the difference between a ligament sprain and a muscle strain?

Hey everyone, Here’s a concept that comes up all the time, so I wanted to take a moment to clarify it. What is a ligament, and what is a tendon?  And what happens when we injure each one? A ligament is a very tough band of connective tissue that connects one bone to another.   Ligaments are what stabilize the SI joint (along with our muscles).  … Continue reading What’s the difference between a ligament sprain and a muscle strain?

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