SI pain with walking
Worse with a faster pace, hills or uneven ground, and it may switch sides as you tire.
Pain may move from side to side and flare with walking, stairs, standing on one leg or rolling in bed. Some days it feels mechanical, and other days it zings into the buttock, groin or thigh. Core work may have made it worse.
The pelvic girdle includes the SI joints at the back, where the spine meets the pelvis, and the pubic joint at the front. Together with the hips and trunk, they share force with every step. When one area becomes sensitive, the others compensate. That can overload the hip muscles and tighten deep pelvic and abdominal muscles, which is common after pregnancy and in active people.
I treat the overworked hip, inner thigh, pelvic floor and deep rotator muscles with dry needling, a form of acupuncture. The sciatic nerve passes right by the piriformis, and a tight piriformis can crowd it and send zings through the buttock. Needling that muscle helps free the nerve. The aim is to ease guarding so strength work becomes easier to tolerate.
Most people have had imaging, pain medication and general core or stabilization programs. Imaging rules out serious problems but rarely explains why walking or stairs hurt. Medication can ease symptoms without changing how the muscles are guarding. Generic stabilization can miss an overloaded inner thigh or obturator internus. Pelvic floor PT is a common step, but New York doesn’t permit PTs or chiropractors to dry needle, so needling offers a different approach.
I start by asking which movements bring on pain, whether it began during or after pregnancy, and what you’ve tried so far. Then the exam:
My work runs alongside obstetrics, orthopedics, sports medicine, primary care and pelvic floor PT. If any finding seems like something they should know, I’ll tell you and pass it on.
Sometimes the SI region is where it hurts most. Pelvic girdle pain usually involves the SI joints, pubic joint, hips and trunk working together. I look for which areas drive your pain during your specific movements rather than blaming one structure.
Imaging rules out fractures, inflammatory disease and other medical problems. Problems with how the pelvis shares load usually don’t show up on scans. An exam and movement assessment can find them.
Yes. It is common after pregnancy and can involve sensitive tissue, protective tightness and changed coordination. Working alongside pelvic floor PT often helps, especially with pelvic heaviness or bladder changes.
It can, when tight protective muscles are what’s holding you back. Releasing the piriformis can also ease the sciatic zings into the buttock. The aim is to make strength work tolerable, then bring it back at a level that matches your exam.
It depends on how irritable the area is and what you’re aiming for. Visits are closer together at first and space out as you improve. Timelines vary with how long you’ve had it, pregnancy and training demands.
Seek prompt medical care for new or worsening weakness, numbness in the saddle area, or bowel or bladder changes. The same applies after major trauma, or with fever, unexplained weight loss, signs of illness, or severe night pain that doesn’t change with position.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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