Pregnancy and Chiropractic Care
Pregnancy puts a lot of stress on the body, and around 50% of women who become pregnant will experience back pain. Sometimes the pain can stem from the pregnancy itself, and other times the back pain develops because of underlying issues that had not reached a pain threshold. Chiropractic care is great for pregnancy, and there are other tips to help with back pain during pregnancy.
- Keep moving. Exercise and movement are important to supply the muscles, tendons, and ligaments while the body adapts to the new stress. Yoga, walking, stretching, and water aerobics are great examples. If you were physically active before becoming pregnant, it is generally safe to continue with a similar level of activity. Lifting weights and running are still possible and encouraged while pregnant. In later trimesters, it may become necessary to reduce the volume of exercise or weight, but continue staying active.
- Posture and support. As the pregnancy continues, weight gains and shifts as the baby develops. This pulls the center of gravity forward and puts pressure on the low back. Wearing support belts helps reduce the workload on the low back muscles. Back support on your chair can help with sitting for long periods. When sleeping, take advantage of pregnancy pillows that help support your body and reduce pressure on your low back and hips. And, of course, take breaks from sitting for long periods to walk.
- Tendons and Ligaments. While the baby continues to grow, more strain is put on the tendons and ligaments of the spine, low back, and hips. Space has to be made, and this can come at the cost of instability. Getting proper chiropractic wellness care during the pregnancy helps the joints and ligaments adapt to the new stress. Studies show this can reduce the birth time by 30%. When postpartum, the joints and ligaments slowly return to their normal tone. Chiropractic care supports this process by making sure those structures have healthy function as they adapt.
There are a lot of symptoms that occur during pregnancy. Low back pain is just one of the many complaints, but we also see cases of headaches, upper back pain, hip pain, ankle pain, and digestive issues as the pregnancy progresses. The physical and hormonal changes don’t have to be miserable. Chiropractic care has been used for decades to support a healthy pregnancy–for both the baby and the mom!
