Manage Back Pain

Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy.

Lower back pain during pregnancy is a very common complaint.


Pregnant women with lower back pain are referred to me for physiotherapy on a daily basis by their doctors.

But, why is low back pain so common in pregnancy?

The reasons for low back pain in pregnancy are most often related to your posture and the changes in that posture that occur when you are pregnant. The type of Lower back pain caused by posture in pregnancy is usually mild, causing you minimal problems with day to day life.

Your Posture will change as your lower back is placed under increasing amounts of pressure as your baby gets bigger and drops down lower in your tummy.


Also, when you're pregnant the hormonal changes which occur can cause ligaments to become lax in your lower back and pelvis, placing more strain on your lower back, which may to be painful. More severe presentations of lower back pain related to pregnancy are conditions where your pelvis may be strained and joints in and around your pelvis go out of alignment.

These injuries are usually related to the sacro-iliac joint and the symphysis-pubis joints. When these joints move out of alignment the associated lower back pain can be very severe indeed.


Treating lower back pain during pregnancy is very successful overall. Where posture is the cause your physiotherapist teach you how to support your back with posture correction and advice. If you have a joint out of place, again, your Physiotherapist will correct it. Depending on the cause, they may also provide you with a pelvic brace for the remainder of your pregnancy that has been specifically designed for pregnant women.

This will ease your pain and provide your pelvis with the support it needs to carry your baby! Failure to correct your alignment may make labour more difficult. So seek expert advice from the outset.


In my opinion, there does not appear to be any known or obvious reason for severe lower back pain in pregnancy. It may be genetically caused or it may be that you injured your back while working with a poor lifting technique for example. Although it is important to keep active throughout pregnancy you should avoid heavy activities which may pre-dispose you to injuries, especially if you have a history of lower back pain.



Daisy's Story.
The most common lower back pain that I see in my practice is sacro-iliac dysfunctions. As your pregnancy progresses the hormones relating to pregnancy cause your pelvis to stretch and widen to adapt in size and shape for your baby to lie in and eventually travel through. It is due to this laxity combined with postural changes in pregnancy that your pelvis may become painful as strain is placed excessively on certain joints and ligaments. This looseness predisposes you to alignment problems during pregnancy.


I had a lady called Daisy in today who was 26 weeks pregnant. She complained of severe right-sided lower back pain. It had been present for 2 weeks and she had been told by her doctor that it may settle with time but that she had to get on with it!


On assessment she had what we call a "ight ilium up-slip". This is where the large bone on the right side of Daisy's pelvis known as the ilium had slipped upwards. Daily recalled the pain starting when she was reaching upwards to hang washing on the line. It is probable that as a result of the looseness of Daisy's pelvis that this reaching activity resulted in her ilium bone moving upwards too far and it failed to return to its correct position.


Thankfully, Daisy's pain was easily resolved. I simply corrected the position of her ilium using a specific Physiotherapy technique. Following this she had immediate relief. I advised daisy to wear a sacroiliac belt for the remainder of her pregnancy to help prevent her pelvic alignment from moving out of position again. I also educated her with regard to tummy and pelvic floor exercises to help maintain strength in her back and pelvic floor during the remainder of her pregnancy. Daisy was delighted!


Always seek advice before you settle with suffering with pain during pregnancy.








Return from Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy to Lower Back Pain Relief

Return from Low Back Pain During Pregnancy to Pregnancy and Back Pain

Return from Low Back Pain During Pregnancy to Back Pain Relief Home




Custom Search

Follow SallyAnnPhysio on Twitter

Sign Up for Our Free
Healthy Back-
Healthy Life Ezine
and keep up to date
On the Best Approaches
To Back Pain Relief!

Back Pain Relief Ezine
Email

Name

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you Healthy Back - Healthy Life.


Home Free Newsletter What's New?

Back Pain Overview

Good Posture Spine Anatomy Back Pain Causes Back Pain Symptoms Tell Your Story NEW!

Back Pain Products

Chairs for Back Pain Mattresses for Back Pain Shoes for Back Pain Back Pain Product Warning

Back Pain Types

Lower Back Pain Upper Back Pain Middle Back Pain Chronic Back Pain Neck Pain Relief Shoulder Pain Hip Pain Buttocks Pain Muscle Spasms Back Pain While Sleeping

Back Pain Management

Back Pain Treatment Back Pain Remedies Back Pain Relief Products Back Surgery Exercises for Back Pain Lifting Technique

Specific Back Pain

Pregnancy and Back Pain Whiplash TMJ Pain Sciatica Treatment Back Arthritis Spina Bifida Spinal Stenosis Scoliosis Herniated Disc Spondylolisthesis Tendonitis Bursitis Headaches

Fitness

Pilates Exercises Health Related Fitness

Sports Injuries

Sports Injury Treatment

Learn More

About Useful Links Contact


Subscribe To This Site
XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines



New! Comments


Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.



ManageBackPain.com Copyright © 2009-2011.

The information on this web site does not replace specific medical advice. It should only be used to complement advice from your doctor. Always seek in-person advice from a doctor or other qualified health provider for your particular condition.