Reader question: Is it okay to work out in a pool if your SI joints are out of alignment?

Hi everyone! Hope you’re all enjoying the holidays. I’ve been getting some really great questions from readers recently that I think are worth sharing with you all. *** I recently heard from G., who was wondering it was okay to perform aquatic exercise when her SI joints and sacrum were out of alignment.   (She goesContinueContinue reading “Reader question: Is it okay to work out in a pool if your SI joints are out of alignment?”

The #1 most important stretch that I do: single leg knee-to-chest

Hi everyone! I’ve mentioned this stretch previously (have you seen my post on Stretching and Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction?).   However I believe this stretch so important, I decided to give it its own post. I started doing this stretch regularly about six months into my battle, and although the saga obviously did continue for quite aContinueContinue reading “The #1 most important stretch that I do: single leg knee-to-chest”

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, connectingContinueContinue reading “Stretches for the hamstrings, and how to protect the SI joints while stretching”

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

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.   LigamentsContinueContinue reading “What’s the difference between a ligament sprain and a muscle strain?”

5 myths about aquatic therapy: let’s clear them up!

Hey everyone,  As you may know, I’m a huge fan of aquatic exercise.  I think it can be a great way to get a workout without putting pressure on your joints, and the water also offers certain benefits that land-based exercise does not.   However, I also know that a lot of people may be hesitant,ContinueContinue reading “5 myths about aquatic therapy: let’s clear them up!”

The core muscles & transverse abdominis: the most important place to start strengthening

Hi everyone! I’ve had a lot of requests recently for exercises for the SI joint. There are soo many things I want to say about this, but today, I figured we’d start with what I believe to be the most important place to start strengthening: a core muscle called the transverse abdominis. *** The transverseContinueContinue reading “The core muscles & transverse abdominis: the most important place to start strengthening”

Three major muscle groups to strengthen for SI joint dysfunction

Hi everyone! One of the topics people ask me about most frequently is my exercise routine for SI joint dysfunction. However, before I go into specific exercises, I wanted to take a moment to try to shift your thinking on what strengthening means for SI joint dysfunction. What a lot of people get wrong isContinueContinue reading “Three major muscle groups to strengthen for SI joint dysfunction”

Traction: One of the best things you can do for yourself in the pool

Hey everyone, So, the really great thing about water exercise is that it allows you to strengthen the muscles that support the SIJ without putting additional strain on your ligaments. However… As if that wasn’t enough, the pool offers some additional benefits you can’t get from any other form of exercise. The most important moveContinueContinue reading “Traction: One of the best things you can do for yourself in the pool”

What’s so awesome about aquatic therapy?

It’s a great way to build muscular strength without negatively impacting your SI joints. Basically, if you have an SI joint injury, you have likely sprained the ligaments that are supposed to hold the joint in place.   The only way around this is to build up enough muscle strength around the joint that yourContinueContinue reading “What’s so awesome about aquatic therapy?”