Surfing Waves

Has anyone here ever had sacroiliac joint pain after a wipeout? I landed heavily on my lower back/hip (left side) after a wipeout on Thursday. It was all right then but, since late on Friday I've had pain in the sacroiliac joint area and can't sit down properly!
I have got an ice pack on it and I'm hoping it clears up quickly without me having to go to the doctors. Has anyone got any other suggestions for treating it, any exercises or anything?

Cheers

Hi Fay I'm back from my travels and I see that you're wounded!
Ouch, since you over the first 48 hours the immediate swelling may have stopped, I would suggest if you are really concerned about it see a chiropractor or osteopath about it but Sacroilliac joint that are moved or bruise require some time to heal.
I would also have my lumbar spine checked out as if the force was enough to effect your SI joint then it could disturb that area too.
Whatever is happening if you think it is more than just a bruise that needs time, get it properly diagnosed.

Post your thoughts back and if it is a general injury I can give you some helpful advice.
We've got to get you back in the water!

Hi Jaffa

Hope you had a great trip?

Thanks for your reply to my post. It's gradually improving and it doesn't hurt so much to sit down like it did even yesterday. I have been putting ice on it three or four times a day (about half an hour each time) and taking Ibuprofen, which seems to be doing the trick. It's still a bit sore when I get up out of a chair but soon improves when I walk round, although the hip area that side is quite stiff.

I'm hoping it's better in a day or two, if not then I'll go and get it checked out.

Thanks Fay my wife and I had a great trip a little lacking in surf by it being too big on one side of the island and non existant on the other thanks to a Super Typhoon.
But lots of culture and temple stuff!
Now about you and your SI joint! [i]For others reading this advice is not appropriate until 48 hours or more have passed since the injury and is only general advice and if you have an injury it is better to seek a proper diagnosis and gain a clear treatment plan from your health practitioner[/i]
The ice is good and now I suggest you try these couple of things.
Ice rest and heat.
Ice as you have been doing for twenty minutes
then, allow your bottom to return to normal temperature for at least 40 minutes
then use a heat pack for twenty minutes.

do several times per day

The cold drives blood away from the injury and takes some of the damaged cells and dead blood from the bruising
but you have to allow the resolution period to normal body temperature before applying heat as jumping directly from cold to hot will cause vascular damage.

After the resolution to normal temperature heat will bring fresh blood and with it the ingredients to help healing.

You can also have someone rub gently Tiger Balm ( white) into the bruised area. This does the hot and cold feeling too, through the TigerBalm.
A couple of cautions here,
1. a few people can react to Tiger Balm ( my wife is the only one I know of ).
2 Do not have too vigorous rubbing or massage of the bruised area as there will be a clot deep where the actual tissue happened,this should not be disturbed. Rubbing of the area above the joint should be towards your head not your feet.
If in doubt about how to rub the area just have the Tiger balm lightly applied to the skin

These are general purpose self help things you can do, but if they don't seem right for you, stop immediately and see your own health practitioner.

You will now have a mentholated bottom

I don't talk sacroiliac lingo, but if I hurt my back after a getting pounded I do tiger balm and a lot of motrin, and keep surfing but take it easier the next day...

Thanks Jaffa, I'll take your advice. I've got some Tiger Balm somewhere, I just need to find it!

I thought it was on the mend yesterday evening but today it's worse. I've been to get it checked out, and have to put heat on it and take painkillers (as I've been doing) and if there's no improvement by next Friday I have to go for physiotherapy.
Worse, no surfing for at least one week, maybe two.

My back's on the mend, that's the good news. But now the surf's flat and is predicted to be for the next week and a bit, at least!

Did cheer meself up by booking a two week surf camp trip to Morocco in January though.

Where did you book your morroco trip?

Now I'm jealous.

Sunhubble - Tamraght

Dtc - sorry, lol. Looking out the window at yet another crappy UK day last week, I decided to hell with it and booked. I have no work, but that's just a minor detail, I used my savings.

I guess I can't really complain, coming into an Australian summer. I mean, the water is still cold (18deg C) and its a bit windy and so forth. But I can survive until conditions get good... (not rubbing it in or anything, honestly)

You Aussies have it good. Ok, the weather there can be rotten, as I have seen for myself (been there twice and on the second occasion it barely stopped raining for 5 weeks!) but I'd swap if I had the means to do so.
Autumn's only just begun but I am depressed already, despite winter being the best time for surf - can't stand gloomy grey skies and not looking forward to darkness at 5pm either - so I am hoping Morocco lives up to expectations...

Well, I am not going to - yet - find out whether it lives up to expectations or not, because I am having to cancel the trip, thanks to unemployment and no luck finding anything new, therefore I can't pay the balance. Having to write off over £300 (plus having to stump up a £75 admin fee) is just rubbing it in.
On the plus side, my back's better...

Oh that's bad luck, I have a thought that may be of help, did you travel insure when you put down the deposit? If so you might be able to claim some or all back , very dependent on the small print but worth a try, particularly with medical evidence!
Good to hear your back is OK now!

mmmmfff on your behalf IF you have a little cash join a Pilates class and support your back in the mean by learning to do the core muscle trainings, or short of cash work through the exercises on the forum. Do them slowly and gently. Use the down time between looking for work to prepare your surfing body

What a shame Fay, sorry to hear that.