Pelvic Joint Condition
Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Sharp pain right at the front of your pelvis, over the pubic bone. It hurts to climb stairs, get in and out of the car, stand on one leg to put on pants, or roll over in bed. Sometimes there is a click. Whether it started in pregnancy, after childbirth or from sport, the muscles that control this joint are central to getting it to settle.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction
The pubic symphysis is the joint at the front of the pelvis where the two pubic bones meet, held together by a disc of cartilage and strong ligaments. It moves very little, but it absorbs and transfers load every time you walk, stand on one leg or change direction.
Pubic symphysis dysfunction is pain at this joint from too much movement, uneven loading or irritation. It is common during pregnancy, when hormones loosen ligaments and the growing baby changes load, and it can continue after childbirth. It also occurs in athletes, especially in kicking and cutting sports, where it can progress to osteitis pubis. Falls and heavy lifting can trigger it too.
The adductors, abdominal muscles and pelvic floor all attach at or near the pubic bone. When they are unbalanced or guarded, they pull unevenly on the joint. Dr. Gordon treats these muscles and the pelvic floor, and coordinates with your physician, midwife or PT on support and loading.
Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction at a Glance
Also called
Symphysis pubis dysfunction, SPD, osteitis pubis in athletes
Who it affects
Pregnant and postpartum women, athletes in kicking and cutting sports
Common aggravators
Stairs, standing on one leg, getting out of a car, rolling in bed, wide strides
Often seen with
Sacroiliac joint pain, pelvic girdle pain, groin pain
Main drivers
Uneven load through the joint, adductor and abdominal imbalance, pelvic floor guarding
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Imaging may show normal joints or mild changes that do not explain the pain. How the surrounding muscles load the joint is what usually matters.
What routine testing is looking for
- Fractures or joint separation
- Arthritis or bone changes
- Infection
- Hernia
What often keeps symptoms going
- Adductor tension pulling on the pubic bone
- Abdominal muscle imbalance
- Pelvic floor guarding that alters joint load
- Sacroiliac joint stiffness
- Asymmetric movement habits
These are assessed with hands-on and movement testing, which is how Dr. Gordon approaches pubic symphysis pain.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Pain over the pubic bone
Sharp or aching pain at the center front of the pelvis.
Pain with stairs and single-leg tasks
Pain when climbing stairs, dressing or standing on one leg.
Pain rolling in bed
Sharp pain when turning over.
Groin and inner thigh pain
Pain spreading into the groin and inner thighs.
Clicking or grinding
A click or feeling of movement at the front of the pelvis.
Waddling gait
Changing how you walk to avoid pain.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Uneven joint load
When one side moves or loads differently, the joint becomes irritated.
Adductor and abdominal imbalance
These muscles attach to the pubic bone and pull on it unevenly when unbalanced.
Pelvic floor guarding
The pelvic floor attaches near the pubic bone and tightens with pain, altering load.
Hormonal and pregnancy changes
In pregnancy, ligaments loosen and load changes, which your OB or midwife monitors.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your pregnancy or postpartum history, sports history, imaging and prior treatment.
Movement and load testing
Single-leg, stair and walking tests to see how your pelvis transfers load.
External pelvic floor assessment
The pelvic floor muscles are examined from the outside, with no internal exam. With you draped for comfort, gentle pressure around the perineum, sit bones, tailbone and inner thighs checks tone, tenderness and trigger points.
Adductor and abdominal assessment
Hands-on assessment of the adductors, abdominals and hip muscles around the pubic bone.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician or pelvic floor PT when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Fever or chills with pelvic or urinary symptoms
- Inability to urinate
- Visible blood in the urine or stool
- Sudden, severe pelvic or abdominal pain
- Unexplained weight loss
- New numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for pubic symphysis dysfunction, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Intrapelvic & Extrapelvic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in both intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling. Treatment releases adductor, abdominal, hip and pelvic floor tension that pulls unevenly on the pubic symphysis. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum.
Learn about pelvic floor treatmentNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture to calm pain and nerve sensitivity around the joint.
See servicesBetween visits
Load Plan & Team Coordination
Guidance on movement strategies, support belts and activity, coordinated with your OB, midwife or PT.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"I have seen Dr. Gordon for back pain, knee issue and most recently foot pain and I have to say every single time I visit the very next day I'm back to resuming my very active lifestyle."
Judy Castellanos, Google Review
Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction Questions
Answers About Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
Yes, with care. Dr. Gordon adjusts positioning and technique for pregnancy. Please let him know how far along you are and coordinate with your OB or midwife.
It often improves after delivery, but some women continue to have pain postpartum, which is treatable.
A belt can help some people. Dr. Gordon discusses options as part of your plan.
Osteitis pubis is a related condition in athletes involving bone stress at the joint. Your physician can confirm with imaging.
Most people need six to ten sessions with reassessment.
Usually with modifications, avoiding wide strides and heavy single-leg loading at first.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For pubic symphysis dysfunction, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
It is a technique that reaches the deep pelvic floor muscles, including the levator ani, obturator internus and coccygeus, to release trigger points and restore normal muscle function. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum. Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in this technique, which few practitioners in New York have.
Yes. Your privacy and comfort come first. When undressing is needed for the area being treated, you are fully draped. Needles are placed through the skin only, and nothing is ever inserted into the vagina or rectum. You can pause or stop at any time.
Yes. Pubic symphysis dysfunction can affect people of every gender, and Dr. Gordon treats adults of all genders and identities.
It helps to have had a medical workup so serious causes have been checked. If you have not seen a physician for your pelvic symptoms yet, call the clinic to talk through the best order of steps.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioBook an Evaluation for Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction
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Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
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