Pelvic Instability – Not A Thing

Read the Research:

Relaxin levels during pregnancy are not related to pelvic pain

1. Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain and its relationship with relaxin levels during pregnancy: a systematic review (Aldabe et al., 2012)
2. Association between the serum levels of relaxin and responses to the active straight leg raise test in pregnancy (Vøllestad et al., 2012)

The sacroiliac joint basically doesn’t move – even in people with diagnosed “pelvic instability”

1. Movement of the sacroiliac joint during the Active Straight Leg Raise test in patients with long-lasting severe sacroiliac joint pain (Kibsgård et al., 2017)
2. A radiostereometric analysis of movements of the sacroiliac joints during the standing hip flexion test (Sturesson et al., 2000)

Pregnancy is characterised by widespread tissue hypersensitivity

1. Pregnancy is characterized by widespread deep-tissue hypersensitivity independent of lumbopelvic pain intensity, a facilitated response to manual orthopedic tests, and poorer self-reported health (Palsson et al., 2015)

You can’t palpate movement of the pelvic joints (even if you think you can)

1. Manual palpation of lumbo-pelvic landmarks: a validity study (Kilby et al., 2012)
2. Inter-examiner reliability of four static palpation tests used for assessing pelvic dysfunction (Holmgren et al, 2008)
3. Clinical tests of the sacroiliac joint: a systematic methodological review. Part 1: reliability (van der Wurff et al., 2000)(a)
4. Clinical tests of the sacroiliac joint: a systematic methodological review. Part 2: validity (van der Wurff et al., 2000)(b)

The biggest predictor of recovery from pelvic pain is – belief that you will recover

1. Prognostic factors for recovery from postpartum pelvic girdle pain (Vøllestad et al., 2009)