Back pain is a common symptom many pregnant women experience. I am going to cover the basics of what is happening during pregnancy that can contribute to this symptom and provide tips on what you can do to manage it. While it is common, it does not have to be ignored, and it can improve during pregnancy!
So what happens within the body?
The obvious change is that a woman’s belly is growing. With this change, there is a significant musculoskeletal impact. The growing baby and uterus begin to push your abdominal organs out of normal position. The abdominal muscles stretch apart to accommodate the baby. Your rib cage expands. Your center of mass shifts forward often leading many pregnant women to an increased lordosis (arch in your lower back) to counteract this shift. Your pelvis also may widen. (To name a few things…)
The hormone relaxin increases to allow for increased laxity within joints. Blood volume also increases to meet the increased metabolic demands of the body.
And as every pregnant woman knows, you gain weight, and just about everything becomes more strenuous and challenging especially as you move into the second and third trimesters.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list, but primarily focused on the major musculoskeletal changes that we see impacting back pain.
How does this all contribute to back pain?
Due to the musculoskeletal changes, there is a significant and rather fast change in your system which can have a dramatic impact on your pelvis & pelvic floor, low back, and hips.
There are changes within the joints themselves, in the amount AND distribution of load, in pressure on different parts of your system and in the mechanics of HOW you do things. Each of these things by themselves and in combination do not cause pain. However, often due to the relatively quick timeframe in which the change occurs, and due to the ongoing requirement for you to move and use your body, pain can develop.
When pain presents itself in pregnancy, it is NOT inevitable that you deal with it for the duration of your pregnancy. While the body will continue to change, multiple things can be done to help you in your current phase!
What can I do about it?
1. See a pelvic PT! We are trained to specifically help you manage your symptoms DURING pregnancy. There are various modifications, manual techniques and exercise interventions that can be implemented to help manage or completely resolve your symptoms. Schedule a FREE discovery call HERE
2. Movement is medicine. We do not want pain to stop you from being active. As with back pain outside of pregnancy, there are different exercises and movements that can be utilized to reduce or eliminate symptoms. I’ll link a few of our general favorites below:
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- 3. Use body mechanics modifications. Simple changes like placing one foot on a step stool vs both feet on the ground when doing dishes can do alot to offset stressors and minimize symptoms. Here are a few of our favorite tips:
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- Limiting the “hip pop” when walking
- Brace with 1 hand when bending forward
- 1 foot on a step stool
4. Use a support belt. These are great tools to just give your body a little input and extra support. I will link a simple amazon one HERE