5 Ways to Help Your back Pain While Pregnant

Tips on How to Help Your Back Pain When Pregnant

A pregnancy-related low back is the most common complaint among pregnant women, which leads to a huge impact on their quality of life. Research has shown that 50% of pregnant women will suffer from some kind of low back pain at some point during their pregnancies. The average healthy weight gain is approximately 30 lbs, most of which is around the abdomen adding a significant frontal load. The added weight puts stress on the back, hips, knees and feet/ankles.

Did you know that there are different types of pregnancy low back pain?

The two most common types are pelvic girdle pain and pregnancy-related low back pain.

PELVIC GIRDLE PAIN: Pelvic girdle pain is the most common type of low back pain is roughly four times as prevalent as lumbar pain. Typically, women tend to feel a deep, stabbing, recurrent or continuous pain that is between the sacroiliac joint and gluteal fold. It may even radiate to the back of the thigh, knee, and calf but will not go into the foot. The pain can be triggered by prolonged sustained postures, and usually occurs within 30 minutes of common daily activities, such as walking, sitting, or standing.

PREGNANCY RELATED LOW BACK PAIN: Pregnancy-related low back pain is described as pain in the lumbar region (low back) that could potentially radiate into the leg. The pain is often described as dull and aggravated by forwarding flexion. In the lumbar region, spinal movement is often restricted and palpation of the muscles in the lumbar region intensifies symptoms. LP during pregnancy is very similar to lumbar pain experienced by women who are not pregnant and it appears as pain over and around the lumbar spine, above the sacrum, making the differentiation between PGP and LP easy.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

• Low- impact activities such as swimming, walking, or stationary cycling can help relieve pain.
• Place a pillow between your knees to take the pressure off the low back when sleeping on your side. You can also place a pillow under your knees if you sleep on your back.
• Take short breaks with your feet elevated.
• Wear supportive shoes, use a lumbar support pillow in your chair and take frequent breaks and walk around for a few minutes each hour at work.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help when lifting heavy objects.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?

Pregnant women should be educated on how they can maintain a proper posture while doing everyday activities so that the back is not overloaded or misaligned. Chiropractic care is safe and an effective practice during pregnancy. At Pillars of Wellness our chiropractor can help reduce back and pelvic pain, relieve aching muscles and ensure a faster recovery. This can be done through;

• Joint Mobilizations.
• Soft Tissue Therapy.
• Pain- relieving modalities.
• Acupuncture.
• Rehabilitation.
• Yoga Therapy.

To summarize, prevention is always key. You can do that through exercises and stretching. Feel free to learn more about yoga therapy or contact your chiropractor to help you relieve the pain. Pillars of Wellness located in Burlington is a One-Stop Health Solution clinic offering different health services such as Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Yoga Therapy, Naturopathy, Acupuncture and much more.