Less Mobility, More Stability
Sacroiliac joint highlighted with red ellipse
The sacrum is the large, curved, triangular bone beneath the lumbar vertebra and above the tailbone. It is inserted like a wedge between the two largest bones of the pelvis, the ilium. These bones are joined together by strong ligaments to form the sacroiliac joint.
Over the last five to ten years, I have seen an increasing number of students complain about sacroiliac joint pain. Unfortunately, some of this pain originates from unhealthy alignment on the mat.
To fully understand how we can maintain a healthy sacroiliac joint, we need step back a little bit. The joints of our body are either joints of mobility (like the shoulder or the hip) or joints of stability. This mobility or stability characteristic refers to how the two bones of the joint should or should not move with respect to each other. Joints of stability, like the sacroiliac joint, are not built to provide much movement. In fact, the sacroiliac joint should only have a very small amount of movement.
When our actions (on or off the mat) cause more movement than is healthy, the ligaments loosen, and low back, buttock or thigh pain may result. To ensure your practice isn’t creating mobility in a joint that needs stability, be sure to start all twists and forward bends from the pelvis. When we mindfully move the pelvis and spine in the same direction, we protect the ligaments that hold the sacroiliac joint together.
Let both knees fall to the right side. For less intensity, tuck the right foot under the left thigh. For a deeper twist, place the left knee in the arch of the right foot.
Place your right hand on the mat behind your right hip and your left hand on your right thigh. Inhale and lengthen up through the spine as you ground down through the top of the left thigh.
On an exhalation, keep the left thigh anchored on the mat as the left side of your pelvis begins to twist to the right. Continue the twist with your belly, ribs and chest all turning to the right. Feel the pelvis and the spine twisting to the right side.
Take several breaths to twist as deeply to the right as is comfortable for your body. You can remain here in the upright version of this pose for a few breaths before returning to neutral.
Or, you can move into the reclining variation. On an exhale and lower your torso down along the props. Place your head on the props with the right side down initially. After a few breaths, if it feels comfortable for your neck, you can experiment with turning to rest on the left side.
Remain in this pose for 2-5 minutes before pressing into your hands to come up. Then, turn your head, chest, ribs, belly and finally pelvis back toward neutral. Repeat on the left side.
Forward Bends
Whether standing or sitting, it is often tempting to round the low back and tuck the tail bone under when forward bending. The action causes the sacrum to move in one direction, while the ilium move in the opposite direction.
Practice moving the spine and pelvis together in Uttanasana.
Begin in Tadasana (mountain pose) with the feet about a foot apart. Imagine a line down the middle of each foot. The imaginary line down the middle of the left foot should be parallel to its counterpart on the right foot. Most people need to move the heels out slightly to accomplish this.
Take your hands to your top thighs, so you can be mindful that you are bending forward from the hip joints (the place where your top thighs meet your torso) instead of the waist. As you exhale, fold forward, keeping the spine in its neutral curves, resisting the temptation to round the spine or to overcompensate by arching the spine.
As you linger in the pose for a few breaths, notice how both the pelvis and the spine are bending forward. Come up to Tadasana on an inhale.
A full yoga class focused healthy hips and sacroiliac joints is available now in the Every Breath I Take Virtual Yoga Studio. You can view this class on your computer or mobile device as many times as you like from June 7 – September 6, 2012, when you register here.
Do you have sacroiliac pain? Do you know what you are doing on or off the mat to create mobility in this joint that craves stability? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
