SI joint exercises at home
Gentle strength for the glutes and pelvis when the low back or buttock aches on one side.
Welcome to your S.I. joint program. We will use gentle strength for the glutes and pelvis, keeping everything smooth and steady.
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Show them this program; in the app you'll confirm they've said it's OK for you before your first session. Exercise education, not medical advice. This is general guidance for common, non-serious lower back pain, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a physiotherapist or doctor. Stop if pain is sharp or getting worse, and check the warning signs below before you start.
The program: 3 phases
Keep pain at three out of ten or less. If any move sharpens the pain, skip it for today.
Phase 1: Settle
Gentle control · Daily- Pelvic tilts2 × 10 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat.
Gently flatten your lower back into the floor by tilting your pelvis, then relax back.
Tip: This is a small rocking movement. Breathe out as you flatten.
You'll need: mat
- Knee squeeze5 × 5s hold
Lie on your back with your knees bent and a cushion between them.
Gently squeeze the cushion with your knees and hold.
Tip: Squeeze gently, about half effort.
You'll need: cushion
- Knee to chest2 × 20s hold
Lie on your back with your knees bent.
Bring one knee toward your chest, holding behind the thigh. Hold, then lower and switch.
Tip: Keep the other foot resting on the floor.
You'll need: mat
Phase 2: Strengthen
Glute strength · Daily- Glute bridge3 × 10 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat, hip-width apart.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body is in a line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly.
Tip: Push through your heels. Squeeze at the top for a moment.
You'll need: mat
- Clamshells3 × 12 reps each side
Lie on your side with your hips and knees bent and your feet together.
Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee, then lower slowly.
Tip: Keep your hips stacked. Do not roll backward.
You'll need: mat
- Knee squeeze5 × 10s hold
Lie on your back with your knees bent and a cushion between them.
Gently squeeze the cushion with your knees and hold.
Tip: Squeeze gently, about half effort.
You'll need: cushion
- Lying glute stretch2 × 30s hold
Lie on your back with both knees bent.
Cross one ankle over the other knee, then gently draw both legs towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the buttock, and hold.
Tip: Keep your head and shoulders relaxed on the floor.
You'll need: mat
Phase 3: Build
Strength and balance · Every other day- Bird dog3 × 8 reps each side
Start on your hands and knees with a flat back.
Slowly reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back. Hold, then return and switch.
Tip: Imagine a glass of water balanced on your lower back.
You'll need: mat
- Side-lying leg raise3 × 10 reps each side
Lie on your good side with your bottom knee bent and your top leg straight.
Lift the top leg slightly back and up, then lower slowly.
Tip: Keep your toes pointing forward, not up to the ceiling.
You'll need: mat
- Glute bridge3 × 12 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat, hip-width apart.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body is in a line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly.
Tip: Push through your heels. Squeeze at the top for a moment.
You'll need: mat
- Single-leg balance2 × 30s hold
Stand next to a counter for support.
Lift one foot and balance on the other leg. Hold.
Tip: Keep a slight bend in the standing knee and look at a fixed point.
You'll need: counter for support
Good work. Try to share your weight evenly on both legs when you stand.
Warning signs: get checked first
Don't start, or stop, and see a health professional if you answer yes to any of these. Red items need urgent care.
- Numbness or tingling around your groin, genitals or inner thighs?
- New trouble controlling or passing urine, or controlling your bowels?
- Weakness in your legs that is getting worse, or a foot that drags?
- Pain, pins and needles or numbness down both legs?
- Constant pain at night that does not ease with any position?
- Fever, or feeling unwell, together with your back pain?
- Are you unable to put weight on the leg?
- Did this start after a fall onto the hip?
Do it with Apex One
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Apex One+ then turns this program into guided sessions: a quick safety check, your confirmation that they've OK'd the program, a pain rating before and after, every exercise talked through out loud, and holds timed for you. Reps are counted out loud at a steady pace; the camera isn't used in rehab sessions. When your lower back is coping, you move up a phase.
Questions
How often should I do si joint exercises?
In this program, phase 1 (settle) is daily; later phases are every other day. Little and often works best, and rest days let the lower back adapt.
Should si joint exercises hurt?
Keep pain at three out of ten or less. If any move sharpens the pain, skip it for today.
When should I move to the next phase?
Move up when the current phase feels comfortable, pain stays low during and after sessions, and your lower back settles by the next day. If pain flares, drop back a phase for a few sessions.
When should I see a physiotherapist or doctor?
Get assessed before starting if any warning sign below applies, if the pain followed a fall or injury, or if it is severe, getting worse, or not improving after a few weeks of regular exercise. Seek urgent care for symptoms like: numbness or tingling around your groin, genitals or inner thighs.
Can an app guide my rehab exercises?
Yes, once your physiotherapist or doctor has said the program is OK for you. Apex One+ walks you through this program out loud with timed holds and pain checks before and after every session. It's exercise education, not a diagnosis.