Pelvic Pain While Walking: Causes, Prevention & Treatment

Pelvic pain is unfortunately common. Many people will experience pelvic pain either at a certain point in their lifetimes or even throughout their lives. Pelvic pain that occurs while you’re walking can be caused by a variety of different health conditions and in some cases may be preventable.

What Causes Pelvic Pain While Walking?

If you’re experiencing pelvic pain when you’re walking, it’s typically due to a musculoskeletal issue. This means that the problem generally lies in your bones, joints, muscles, or tendons. However, that’s not always the case. The following health conditions are common causes of pelvic pain while walking:

• Pain in the sacroiliac joint where the pelvis connects to the spine
• Muscle pain in the pelvic floor
• Dysfunction in the pubic symphysis joint (the joint in the front of the pelvis that stabilizes the pelvis and holds its bones together)
• Osteitis pubis – injury from overuse of the pubic symphysis joint
• Inguinal hernia – this is a hernia in the pelvis or groin area
• Appendicitis
• Diverticulitis – this is inflammation in the diverticula in the large intestine
• Bone cancer
• Pelvic congestion syndrome – this is the dilation of veins in the pelvic region
• Injury
• Childbirth
• Pregnancy

How Can Pelvic Pain While Walking Be Prevented?

In some cases, prevention may not be possible. However, you can take some steps to help lower the risk of experiencing pelvic pain while you walk. You can do the following:

• Warm-up before working out
• Stay active
• Eat more fiber
• Avoid repetitive actions
• Improve your posture
• Regularly visit your doctor

How Is Pelvic Pain While Walking Treated?

How pelvic pain is treated depends on the cause. There are some treatment options that you can employ at home. Depending on the condition that caused the pain, you may also have to see a doctor or a physical therapist for treatment.

Get Plenty of Rest

If it hurts to walk, then making sure to get plenty of rest may help. Rest can help improve many conditions that cause pelvic pain, especially if it’s caused by an event such as an accident, injury, or childbirth. Rest may offer respite for a chronic condition as well.

Over-the-Counter Medication

It’s not always possible to just avoid walking. You can help to manage your pain by taking over-the-counter pain medications or, depending on your pain level, your doctor may prescribe pain medications for you.

Treat the Condition

If your pelvic pain is caused by a specific condition, then treating that condition can help to alleviate the pain. For example, if you are experiencing pelvic floor pain due to childbirth, then doing exercises that are recommended by a physical therapist can help to ease the pain as well as improve the condition.

Use Ice or Heat

Heating pads and ice can help to relieve some pelvic pain. Which is best may depend on the cause of your pain. It may help to alternate between the two.

Improve Your Posture

Poor posture can also lead to pelvic, back, and shoulder pain. Practicing good posture can help to ease pelvic pain as well as to prevent it when you’re not currently experiencing it.

Make a Doctor’s Appointment

Some pelvic pain can be managed at home. However, if your pain is long-lasting, severe, doesn’t improve with your at-home care, gets worse, or if it’s interfering with your daily life, then it’s time to see a doctor. Your doctor may have medical treatments or may refer you to a physical therapist. What your doctor recommends will depend on what is causing the pain. However, your doctor should be able to help determine that cause and then recommend a course of treatment for you.

For informational purposes only.