Are You Experiencing Back Pain During Pregnancy? Physical Therapy Can Provide Relief

It is no secret that pregnancy is extremely taxing on your body. Musculoskeletal aches and pains are common for pregnant women, with the back being one of the most commonly reported areas of discomfort. Most pregnant women experience back pain, usually in the second half of their pregnancy.

Fortunately, physical therapy treatments can help alleviate your unwelcome back pain, allowing you to return to doing what matters most – preparing for your new bundle of joy.

Why am I experiencing back pain?

The short answer is that you’re growing a human! The majority of pregnant women report back pain at the “sacroiliac joint,” which is where your pelvis meets your spine. This occurs as a result of a combination of several factors, including:

• Increased weight. During pregnancy, women typically gain 25-35 pounds. This places additional strain on the spine, which is responsible for supporting your weight. The growing baby in your uterus also puts additional strain on the nerves and blood vessels surrounding your back and pelvis, which can contribute to your back pain.
• Separation of muscles. Your “rectus abdominis” muscles are strained as your uterus expands throughout pregnancy. From the rib cage to the pubic bone, these muscles run parallel to one another. With the continued uterine expansion, these muscles may separate along the centre seam, a condition known as “diastasis recti.” This may cause or exacerbate your back pain.
• Postural changes. Your centre of gravity shifts when you’re pregnant. Most women adjust their posture and movement to compensate for this, sometimes without even realizing it. Postural changes can strain the back, causing discomfort.
• Hormonal changes. During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone called “relaxin.” This causes joint laxity and, as the name implies, allows the ligaments and joints in the pelvic area to relax. This is your body’s natural way of preparing for vaginal birth; however, the relaxin hormone can cause spinal ligaments to loosen. Instability and pain may result as a result of this.

How can physical therapy provide relief?

At Women’s Health and Healing Center, we provide prenatal and perinatal physical therapy treatments for pregnancy-related pain relief. At your first appointment, you will be greeted by one of our skilled and dedicated physical therapists, who will conduct a physical examination to determine the nature of your symptoms. Your medical history and any health risks will be discussed and taken into account prior to developing a treatment plan.

Following your evaluation, your physical therapist will create an individualized treatment plan for you to relieve your back pain and allow for a more comfortable pregnancy.

Prenatal and perinatal back pain treatment plans typically include gentle therapeutic exercises, stretches, and manual therapy. These are done to relieve pain, strengthen core muscles, and improve posture.

Your physical therapist may also recommend additional methods and modalities, such as massage or ice and heat therapies, as needed to provide additional relief and optimal function.

Condition-specific treatments will be designed to correct the symptoms of specific conditions, such as diastasis recti. Diastasis recti can impede abdominal muscle strengthening and cause the belly to “pooch.” Our highly trained physical therapists use the most up-to-date evidence-based clinical knowledge in the field to diagnose and treat this condition based on its severity and the patient’s individual needs.

In addition to your back pain, our services can help you with a variety of pregnancy symptoms, such as:

• Pain during sexual intercourse.
• Pain during exercise.
• Vulvovaginal pain.
• Tailbone pain.
• Incontinence.
• Headaches.
• Neck pain.
• Painful, numb, or weak hands.

Ready to find relief? Request an appointment today!

Women’s Health and Healing Center can assist expecting mothers in finding relief from prenatal pains as their bodies adjust to pregnancy’s effects. Our physical therapists will also assist you in dealing with any issues or questions that may arise during this time.

Pregnancy should be a happy time, not a painful one. Contact us today to schedule an appointment, and we’ll devise a plan to assist you throughout your pregnancy. By incorporating physical therapy into your prenatal care, you will be able to relieve your pain and better prepare yourself for one of the most difficult challenges a woman will face in her life: delivering and caring for a baby.