Calling people who are better at fitness than I am

[resonant]

The more I swim, the stronger I get in previously neglected muscles. Which, OK, yay for strong, of course, but it also means that I've got some tightness that isn't touched by any of the stretches I know.

Eventually, after some weeks of increasing discomfort, I did figure out how to stretch my trapezius (and will share, if anybody's having the same problem), but I've got two lower-body areas left that I can't get at.

So if I describe where it hurts, could those of you who are good at this kind of stuff -- particularly swimmers -- describe or link to suggested stretches?

[editing to add: I'm quite belly-enhanced, so anything that requires me to fold right in half with both legs at once is going to be incompatible with breathing.]

The first stiff area sits right on top of my hipbones. Leaning over sideways doesn't do anything for it, nor does lying on my back and pointing my knees in various directions or kneeling and pointing my butt in various directions.

The second one is in the lowest possible part of my lower back, like right over my tailbone. Toe touches help a little but not much.

Anybody have any suggestions? I'd be eternally grateful and sleep a lot better at night.

Comments

[rydra_wong]

Has anyone mentioned the words "sacroiliac joint", by any chance?

[florahart]

Oh, yeah. I was one of that lucky people that wound up with too much sacroilial flexibility as a result of pregnancy hormones (in 1995), and I have pain higher up and on the right only still from that, too (and apparently an additional problem with a nearby disk and kahdsjkfhas pain in the ass, so to speak), but the assorted approaches to dealing with that pain doesn't seem to resolve this tailbone thing.

Bah.

[resonant]

Every time I read the word "sacroiliac," it comes into my head as part of the "Animaniacs" theme song.