WHAT IS IT?
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is a functional and mechanical condition where pain is felt in the joints, muscles or ligaments of the pelvis. It is also known as symphysis pubis dysfunction, sacroiliitis, osteitis pubis, or pelvic joint syndrome depending on the painful region, but these conditions are now all categorised as and referred to as PGP. PGP is more common in women than in men.
Three different joints make up the pelvic girdle. At the front the symphysis pubis unites the right and left pubic bones in the midline. On either side are the hip joints, important weight-bearing structures that transfer the load of the body from the pelvis to the femurs for standing and walking. At the back are the strong sacroiliac joints, located between the sacrum and the ilium on both sides. Pain can occur in one or more of these three joints when they have difficulty accommodating functional (activity-related) or structural (anatomical or physiological) changes.