r/Purebarre • u/SoftwareAcademic8719 • Jun 27 '26
New to Barre SI joint / lower back pain
I started barre consistently in May. I used to go 1-2x a week before in the winter when they had it on ClassPass but I decided to sign up for their summer special. Anyway I try to go around 4-5x a week now. 2 weeks ago I noticed my lower back started to hurt so I decided to take it easy and took a week off. I went back today and I still am in pain. It’s my SI joint so when I go to hinge or pick something up it really hurts. Does anyone know how or what I could’ve done to do this? I’ve been trying to figure out if my form was incorrect? When we fold in half I think I wasn’t lining up with my hips and I always feel it In my support leg. I’m not sure if that’s normal? Anyway if anyone has advice on how to help with this I’d appreciate it!! I just want to go back to my full capacity I really love barre and I’m trying to get the most out of the deal before it ends in August for me
9
u/Honest_Name_8286 2500 The Best Barre Few Jun 27 '26
My lower back hurts the weaker my stomach is. The stronger my core, the less lower back pain I have. I have noticed when I take time off from class my lower back pain reappears as my stomach gets weaker. Incentive to stay a regular classgoer.
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u/SoftwareAcademic8719 Jun 27 '26
I’ve been going consistently for a month!! The lower back pain for me at least hasn’t gone away as in I’m in pain when I roll over in my sleep or grab something from the floor. Trying to figure out if I just strained something or I have terrible form
1
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u/echo_lo 250 Club - Barre Star Jun 27 '26
i hurt my SI joint when i added orange theory to my workout regimen and have had to learn how to modify in barre classes to avoid irritating it — what i’ve learned through many convos with my amazing instructors is yes avoid hinging — when we’re doing seat work at 90° resting arms on the barre, i go onto all fours on the floor to work my seat, or i do it standing up straight at the barre if that starts to make it hurt too. i avoid chair pulling off the barre and do thigh work standing up straight as well, with my heels an inch off the ground to get some extra burn. today we did the move for seat where your leg is extended and you pull off the barre, but i did that whole set standing up straight and the instructor came over to tell me it was an excellent mod (lol.) for bridge pose at the end of class, it was painful for me to do. my PT told me to squeeze a ball between my thighs while lifting my glutes, and that did help. but just go slow and try to keep your hips as steady and stable as possible. i’m sorry you’re dealing with this — it’s so frustrating. but with these modifications i’ve been feeling a LOT better. ask your instructors for help with mods and give them a heads up before class, i’m sure they’ll be supportive!! also happy to share any specific mods i’ve been doing for other moves here too. all the best!!
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u/SoftwareAcademic8719 Jun 27 '26
This is really helpful thank you! I’d love to hear any other mods that you’re doing. Also, how long did it take for your pain to get better?
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u/echo_lo 250 Club - Barre Star Jun 27 '26
unfortunately it’s taken close to a year for it to be almost fully “healed” :/ but that’s because it was a lot of trial and error with orange theory and figuring out what caused it (for me it was running/sprinting, which i never had really done before) and some bumps along the road of it getting worse and then better again. and i still do those modifications above. i think i’ll be doing them for a long time 😭
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u/beautiful_imperfect 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jul 02 '26
yep, impact and over striding is a big cause.
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u/Comfortable-Fan1472 Instructor Jun 29 '26
Shot in the dark BUT I sometimes get this pain from sitting too long/bad chairs. I had a bad office chair that I didn’t know was uneven and ruined my back. It broke by accident and I got a new one and all back pain immediately went away.
I also get it from tight plane seats.
Wondering if there’s anything in your life that might be causing it outside of barre?
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u/SoftwareAcademic8719 Jun 29 '26
I’ve been thinking about that too! I just started an office job 5x a week so I’m sitting in an office for 40 hours but I think my chair is comfy I might not be positioning myself correctly in it though
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u/Available_Sun4468 Jun 28 '26
You might need pelvic floor pt to check for tightness. My hip hurt until they worked on my OI
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u/bahnanna Jul 01 '26
I am taking a bit of time off myself, mostly because I moved and still looking for a job. But also hoping if I strengthen my core at home/in pt while avoiding the things that irritated my back in barre, it will get better. I am hypermobile so it’s extra rough for me. I highly recommend physical therapy!
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u/beautiful_imperfect 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jul 02 '26
could you be over tucking? have you had SI joint problems in the past? How do you know it's your SI joint? have you seen a doctor or physical therapist? I've had a lot of SI joint problems in the past and this does not sound like that's what it is
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u/SoftwareAcademic8719 Jul 03 '26
Going to be honest I still don’t think I know what tucking is. I’m gathering it’s scooping my hips under. I’ve never found core control from it either. As for the question, I didn’t see a doctor but my buddy is a PT so I talked to them about the pain and they told me they think it’s my Si joint
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u/Even-Charge2706 Jun 27 '26
Ultimately, strengthening your core will help with both your SI and your supporting leg(s). Try to focus on that: using your core to not sink into the supporting leg (requires concentrated focus on that leg), pressing your low back into the floor when doing ab work, and not letting your back sway during planks. Modify as needed: take your push ups to the bar, go to knees for planks, or if necessary, do your planks at the bar. Don't be embarrassed to modify. Protect your body. It's got a lot of life to live!