Are You Searching For a Way to Relieve Your Pregnancy-Related Pains? Try Core-Strengthening Exercises!
It is no secret that pregnancy is extremely taxing on the body. It severely stretches the abdominal wall, weakening core muscles and causing back pain.
Fortunately, our physical therapists at Beyond Physical Therapy can help relieve your back pain both during and after your pregnancy. Even if it has been years since your last pregnancy, we can assist you in making a full recovery.
Even if you continue to exercise regularly, if you do not specifically target your core muscles, you will develop a muscle strength imbalance. When your core is strong, your spine is better protected from injury when you twist, lift, or strain your body while performing an activity – such as picking up your child!
Don’t hesitate to contact Beyond Physical Therapy if you’ve been experiencing back pain during or after a pregnancy. We’ll assist you in resolving your unwelcome back pain so you can get back to doing what matters most – caring for your bundle of joy.
Why does pregnancy cause back pain?
You are not alone if your pregnancy is causing you back pain. Many women experience back discomfort before and after giving birth. The “sacroiliac joint,” which is where your pelvis joins your spine, is where most expectant mothers describe severe back pain. Prenatal or postpartum back discomfort can occur for a variety of causes, including:
- Changes in posture. Your center of gravity shifts when you’re pregnant. Most women will modify their posture and movement patterns to adapt to this, often without even recognizing it. Changes in posture can put pressure on the back, causing discomfort.
- Changes in hormones. The hormone “relaxin” is produced by your body during pregnancy. This hormone enhances joint laxity, allowing the ligaments and joints in the pelvic area to relax. However, the relaxin hormone can also cause ligaments in the spine to loosen, causing instability and back pain.
- Weight gain. During pregnancy, most women gain 25-35 pounds. Because the spine is responsible for bearing your weight, this puts additional strain on it. The growing baby in your uterus also puts additional strain on the nerves and blood vessels that surround your back and pelvis, contributing to back pain.
- Muscle separation. Your “rectal abdominal” muscles are put under stress when your uterus expands throughout your pregnancy. From the rib cage to the pubic bone, these muscles run parallel. These muscles can separate along the middle seam as the uterus expands, a condition known as “diastasis recti.” This could aggravate or cause your back pain.
Physical therapy can help you strengthen your core muscles and ease back pain
Pre- and post-natal treatments for pregnancy-related pain are available at Beyond Physical Therapy. One of our trained physical therapists will greet you at your first session and perform a physical evaluation to determine the nature of your pain.
Before developing a treatment plan, your medical history and any health concerns will be addressed and considered. Following your evaluation, your physical therapist will devise a personalized treatment plan for you to relieve your back pain and facilitate a smooth pregnancy or postpartum recovery.
In your treatment plan, you may be prescribed gentle therapeutic exercises, stretches, and manual therapy. All of this is done to alleviate discomfort, strengthen your core muscles, and enhance your posture. Your physical therapist may suggest further treatments and modalities, such as massage or cold and heat therapy, to provide additional relief and optimal performance as needed.
Condition-specific treatments will be designed to correct the symptoms of certain conditions, such as diastasis recti. Diastasis recti can impede abdominal muscle strengthening, resulting in weak core muscles and increased back pain. Our highly trained physical therapists use the most up-to-date, evidence-based clinical knowledge to diagnose and treat this condition based on its severity and the patient’s individual needs.
At-home exercises to relieve back pain
There are exercises you can do on your own to try to strengthen your core muscles and relieve your back pain, in addition to our physical therapy services. The following is a common exercise that engages all layers of your abdominal wall, pelvic muscles, and spinal muscles:
- Begin by lying on your back and placing your hands on your lower abdomen. The “transverse abdominis muscles” are the muscles beneath your hands.
- Draw your transverse abdominis muscles together towards your belly button to activate them.
- Hold this position for a total of 10 seconds. Remember to keep breathing, taking slow, relaxing breaths as you go.
- Repeat 10 times.
Contact our clinic today!
You do not have to suffer from back pain during or after your delivery. Contact us today to set up an appointment, and we’ll devise a strategy to assist you with your pregnancy and childbirth recovery. Beyond Physical Therapy wants to make you as comfortable as possible as you welcome the new member of your family!