The sacroiliac joint is a vital component of the human skeletal system, connecting the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) to the ilium (part of the pelvic bone). It is often referred to as the SIJ ( sacroiliac joint). It serves a crucial role in transferring forces between the upper body and lower extremities, providing stability and facilitating movement. It is a complex joint, and can create issues in us all, from women in pregnancy and post natal days, sportsmen and women, runners, and those with lower back or lumbar issues. IT has been reported that up to 70% of those suffering from persistent lower back pain will have some element of their pain stemming additionally from the SIJ.  

As the SIJ is a huge weight transfer ‘station’ for loads passing  from our lower extremities to our trunks, the joint is reinforced by many strong ligaments and surrounded by muscles that help support the pelvis and spine.

These reinforcements give the joint incredible stability to cope with the transmission of upper body weight and forces from the spine to the lower extremities during activities such as walking, running, and lifting. It absorbs shock and redistributes forces, ensuring efficient movement and minimizing stress on other joints.

Despite this stability, the SIJ is prone to dysfunction and pain. Injuries, arthritis, pregnancy, or imbalances in the surrounding muscles can lead to dysfunction of this joint, causing pain in the lower back, buttocks, or legs. Diagnosis and treatment of SIJ issues often involve a combination of physiotherapy and exercise. Long rehabilitation programs are often required to improve the muscular support and stability of this very important joint. These programs need to be sport specific, or tailored to each individual’s needs and can include core stability, pelvic alignment exercises, postural stability and gluteal strength.

“Anchor through your tailbone when you are on the mat”

This Pilates cue is a common one when it comes to ensuring your alignment and control of your ‘pelvis and spinal neutral’ postures in class. This is especially so when testing your deep abdominal strength in exercises such as table top. But what does this ‘tailbone’ actually look like? It is anatomically called the sacrum and may not look like what you imagine.

I often get asked about the coccyx with reference to this Pilates cue. When you study this image, you can see that your coccyx is just the tiny bone on the end of the sacrum. it is not through this that you find or control your ‘pelvis neutral’ of ‘heavy tailbone.’   

The sacrum articulates with the iliums of the pelvis on each side. These 2 joints are called the sacro-iliac joints ( you have a left one and a right one), and these are crucial role in providing stability, transmitting forces, and facilitating movement between the upper body and lower extremities.

The pubic symphysis joint is a specialized joint located in the pelvis, specifically between the left and right pubic bones. It connects the 2 halves of the pelvis.  The joint is composed of fibrocartilage, which provides strength and stability while allowing slight movement.

The pubic bone itself is a thick, flat bone that forms the lower part of the front of the pelvis. It serves as an attachment site for various muscles, including the adductor (groin) muscles of the inner thigh, the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor muscles. (You could think of the pubic symphysis and the coccyx as the 2 fixed ends of your pelvoc floor ‘hammock’. Together, the pubic symphysis joint, along with the surrounding pelvic floor muscles, play a crucial role in maintaining pelvic stability and supporting the pelvic organs. During activities such as walking, running, and standing, these structures work together to provide strength and control to the pelvis.

I adore moving slowly, especially in a mindful movement class like Pilates reformer or my mat classes. The same can be said for weights at the gym. Moving slowly feels safe and it feels really good. The after effects are huge in the days that follow, but why do slow movements work so well? There are many great reasons why slow movements are used in muscle strengthening.

💪Training slow brings your muscles to exhaustion by keeping them loaded throughout the movement. This is called ‘time under tension’ (TUT).

💪Using a slow weighted movement to fatigue produces greater increases in rates of muscle protein synthesis than the same movement performed rapidly.

💪Lifting with a slower tempo, when controlled for the same relative load, increases the total energy required and improves your metabolic function.

💪Slow movements reduce your injury risk, requiring better awareness of technique and movement patterns. Making any needed changes here are more possible than when moving explosively or quickly.

💪Slow movements in each direction ask much more of your smaller supporting and postural muscles. These important stabilisers to all of our movements can really benefit with gains in strength and endurance with slower movements.

💪 Slower, controlled movements are often used to stimulate muscle hypertrophy or growth, while faster, uncontrolled movements are typically employed to develop strength and muscle power.

So, learn to move a little slower within parts of your gym, Pilates or boot camp classes and routines.

#strength #musclestrength #strengthtraining #thefixprogram #thefixprogramsydney #thefixprogramonline

The importance of your upper and middle trunk cannot be underestimated when it comes to your body’s efficient function. Typically a stiffer part of the trunk due to the protective cage for the heart and lungs underneath, the ribs and associated thoracic spine posture issues can quickly arise with our sedentary lifestyles and lack of postural strength.

This important region of the trunk relates so closely with many other functions of your body. Think about your breath and diaphragm action, your neck above, the shoulders and the lower back below. The ribs also play an important role in good pelvic and pelvic floor function, hips and the lower leg. You could say, they play a part with just about everything! 

How can we keep our rib posture and awareness here more simple?

✅ Imagine your rib cage like a stack of 12 dinner plates. Feel how they would sit on top of each other. Note how there would be a small space wrapping all the way around each rib or plate, allowing it float from the plate below.

✅ Pause to take a few comfortable, yet deep breaths, becoming aware of the extra space you create in these ribs as you inhale.

✅ Does your breath bring more mindful focus to how your 12 ribs really are like a floating stack of dinner plates, with your neck above and waists sitting below?

✅ Where do your ribs sit at the moment? Are they stacked?

#mindfulposture #ribposture #upperback #thorax #pilates #clinicalpilates #thefixprogram #thefixprogramonline #physiotherapy #physio #pictureworthathousandwords

The pelvis really is the key to great function and alignment of the spine and the hips. Consider it like a building foundation - strong, supportive, level - offering the best chance for the tall spine (or skyscraper) to remain aligned. Bad foundation, bad issues above. So, how do you find this magical foundation? By becoming more aware of how you hold your pelvis as you sit, stand, or even workout.

Let’s keep it super simple, so you can make little changes everyday when you notice your postures.

✅ Imagine your pelvis as a bowl, full of water if you wish. As a safe foundation for your spine above, try to keep your bowl level. This way, your foundation for the muscles and vertebra above will be balanced and your trunk will be happier for it.

✅ Know that when you slump in sitting, your bowl would be tipping backwards, with water falling out the back rim of your bowl.

✅ Likewise, when standing, tucking your bottom under would result in the same spillage of water (and also flattening your natural and desired lower back curve, where joints, muscles, ligaments and discs are in the best alignments).

✅ Does our bowl tip the other way? Perhaps you are standing or sitting stiffly “at attention,” overdoing the tall posture thing? This would increase the compression and depth of your lower back arch, usually making things feel not too happy in this position with your pelvic foundation like so.  

✅Try levelling your bowl when sitting, standing, or as you workout at the gym or Pilates.

A non-ideal bowl position would be one that tips backward (like sitting slumped), tips forward (over arched back), or even sidewards (hip hanging when standing). Even sitting crossed legged or sitting on your curled up leg underneath can create twists at your pelvic bowl, and ultimately, an unhappier posture for your trunk above.

Give it go! Balance your bowl level.

#mindfulposture #pelvicposture #pelvisneutral #pelvicbowl #pilates #clinicalpilates #thefixprogram #thefixprogramonline #physiotherapy #physio #pictureworthathousandwords

✅When it comes to everyday posture, try not to work too intensely in the level of activity of your postural, trunk and core muscles.
Postural muscles such as the deep abdominal corset, the diaphragm or the spinal muscles need to work all day for you, and they are therefore only needed at low levels of intensity. Think endurance, and not the sprint!

“Floating” up in your posture conjures a graceful and effortless energy.

✅Float up through your waists.

✅Float and imagine space in between each of your 12 ribs.

✅Float through the back of your neck to the base of your skull.

Don’t you love it?

Build postural strength to float effortlessly and without fatigue with our Pilates classes in our Sydney clinic, or at home online when you like, where you like, anytime.

#posturalawareness #posture #goodposture #pelvis #trunk #neckpain #backpain #sittingposture #standingposture #physiotherapy #thefixprogramonline #thefixprogramsydney

There are many considerations before lacing up the shoes and heading out for your first runs. These include:

👉your birth outcomes

👉your leg and hip strength

👉your pelvic floor health, strength and endurance

👉your hormones ( are you still breastfeeding?)

👉your support of your pelvis and spine (integrity of your inner core strength)

👉your pre-natal and pregnancy exercise levels

👉your body and fitness type.

Moore et al (2021) published a study with tests as guidelines for strength required for running. Here are the tests for running specific tasks. You can try them at home if you think you’re near to these measures. Can you achieve these without pain, bladder leakage, pelvic floor heaviness or abdominal dragging?

✅can you walk for 30 minutes?

✅can you stand balanced on one leg for 10 seconds or more?

✅can you jog on the spot for 60 seconds or more?

✅can you bound or skip for 10 metres?

✅can you hop on the spot 10 times or more?

These tests are no means exhaustive. There are many other tests assessing strength, balance, running specific and pelvic floor muscles control.

Find a physiotherapist who can assess and help you return to any sport after have your baby. She will be the expert in safe and timely guidance back to what you love doing - no recipes, completely individualised just for you! The Fix Program’s Mums&Bubs classes and post natal physio are the perfect lead into your running return after pregnancy and birth!

#runningmums #returntorunning #postnatalexercise #postnatalrunning #postnatalpelvicfloor

If you are a new Mum and are super keen to lace up the joggers and head for a jog, take the time to ask whether your body is truly ready. You may be 6 weeks after labour, your OB may have given you the green light, but what about your leg strength, your pelvic floor health and your fitness? Are you really ready to go running?

There are many considerations before lacing up the shoes and heading out for your first runs. These include:

👉 your birth outcomes

👉 your leg and hip strength

👉 your pelvic floor health, strength and endurance

👉 your hormones ( are you still breastfeeding?)

👉 your support of your pelvis and spine (integrity of your inner core strength)

👉 your pre-natal and pregnancy exercise types and levels

👉 your body type.

Moore et al (2021) published a study with tests as guidelines for strength required for running. Here are the tests for your pelvic floor recovery and strength after pregnancy and birth. You can try them at home if you think you’re near to these measures.

✅can you achieve 10 quick on/off ( or lift up/drop down) contractions?

✅can you hold 10 maximum pelvic floor contractions for 6 seconds, each all being equal?

✅can you hold a gentle contraction for a full minute, continuing your breath? ( 30% contraction effort)

These tests are no means exhaustive. There are many other tests assessing strength, balance, running specific and pelvic floor muscle control.

See our other recent posts for more running preparation advice for new Mums.

#runningmums #returntorunning #postnatalexercise #postnatalrunning #postnatalpelvicfloor

Returning to running as a new Mum cannot be rushed.

There are many considerations before lacing up the shoes and heading out for your first runs. These include:

👉your birth outcomes

👉your leg and hip strength

👉your pelvic floor health, strength and endurance

👉your hormones (are you still breastfeeding?)

👉your support of your pelvis and spine (integrity of your inner core strength).

Moore et al (2021) published a study with tests as basic guidelines for leg strength as required for running. Here are the tests for hips and leg strength. You can try them at home if you think you’re near to these measures and to see if you are run ready as far as your strength goes:

✅can you achieve 20 single leg pelvic bridges?

✅can you achieve 20 single leg sit to stands?

✅can you achieve 20 single leg calf raises?

✅can you achieve 20 side lying leg lifts?

These tests are no means exhaustive. There are many other tests and considerations with your balance, running specific and pelvic floor muscle control. Moore et al (2021) also list these.

Check out our other posts abut the other aspects needed to start your jogging journey after pregnancy. And for further targeted and individualised advice and planning, our physios are here for you and your exact return to running.

#runningmums #returntorunning #postnatalexercise #postnatalrunning #postnatalpelvicfloor