Someone once asked us “When is sitting bone pain normal and when is it something to be concerned about?” The truth of the matter is that your sit bones should never be painful, so if you’re feeling discomfort, your body probably needs a shift in alignment.
Sometimes referred to as “Ischial Bursitis,” this discomfort in the glute area can affect anyone – from men to women, pregnant or not. Patients commonly report the pain to feel like an ache or a pull in their glute or a tenderness when sitting. It can make sitting on hard surfaces like bleachers or pews feel intolerable. What a pain in the butt, right?
So if this sounds like you, it’s probably time for some help. Luckily, Moment of Truth Physical Therapy has the tools you need to achieve long-term results. Here’s what we can do.
Breaking Misconceptions
What’s actually going down in your sit bone region? First things first, it’s not just one bone. It’s a v-shaped pair at the bottom of your pelvis. We refer to this as the ischial tuberosities. Sit upright and feel the bony prominence under your buttcheeks where the hamstrings attach. That’s your ischial tuberosities.
Oftentimes, this pain is associated with pregnancy just because the body is going through so much change during this period. Your body releases the relaxin hormone, gains weight, and has a literal baby shifting its center of gravity. The same goes for post-delivery. As the body shifts back over time, more asymmetries happen that can disrupt the sit bones.
That being said, sitting bone pain can be completely unrelated to pregnancy altogether. Sometimes it affects people who bike or run frequently or people who have to sit for long periods. It can even be a result of stretching or exercising improperly. So if you’re experiencing sit bone pain, it’s important to figure out the potential source of the discomfort for proper treatment. Speaking of treatment…
Treating Sitting Bone Pain
It’s important to highlight that sitting bone pain is actually simple to reverse with the right treatment. Often, SI joint pain can seem scary, but it’s very treatable and is usually just about balancing out the pelvis and minimizing our asymmetries – which can be done with physical therapy.
That being said, seeing a pelvic floor therapist can offer a wider range of support than a regular physical therapist. So, if you’re experiencing sitting bone pain, start with a specialist. Typically, a physical therapist will jump to mobilize a patient’s hamstrings, since they’re the most immediate and largest muscle attachment to treat in the area. But if your hip flexors in the front of your body are tight, this can make the problem worse.
A pelvic floor therapist, on the other hand, is trained to check out the entirety of the pelvic floor, which is made up of three layers of muscle. Your sit bone pain could be stemming from a chain reaction of over or under-compensation of other muscles in the area. The key to resolving the issue permanently is to balance out the pelvis, which can include many parts. From the hamstrings to hip flexors to quads to the sacrum in your back, each muscle can tug or pull in a way that causes tension in your sitting bone region. You need an expert to properly diagnose the source of your issue and help manually solve the tension occurring in the body.
But again, this doesn’t require sitting on a donut for the rest of your life. Sitting bone pain is completely treatable with some exercises and proper care.
Book Your Appointment
At the end of the day, sit bone pain can feel very dramatic but balancing out the pelvis is a very basic part of physical therapy. This issue is easy to address with quality care and a thorough assessment of all tissues involved. It’s just important to get properly diagnosed so we know the best way to handle treatment.
If you’ve been experiencing sitting bone pain, don’t suffer any longer. Moment of Truth Physical Therapy is here to help get to the root of the problem so you can get back to everything you want to be doing. Talk to a therapist today.
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