6 Tips to Reduce Back Pain During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be hard on a woman’s back and can often cause back pain and discomfort. Due to the extra weight carried around, added pressure and tension can cause strain on the back. Also, the muscles that usually support the spine become weakened and stretched out. The pelvic muscles and joints relax due to special hormones released to make child birth easier, but will in turn, offer less support for your back.

So what can you do to relieve this pain? There are simple steps you can take to relieve back pain associated with pregnancy.  We have listed a few of these tips below.

• Maintaining a good posture is key. Try your best to sit up straight and keep your shoulders back.
• Avoid standing for long periods of time and adding extra stress onto the back.
• Because of all the extra weight that is focused on the middle of the body, sleeping on the side with a pillow in between legs will help to reduce pain
• Wear shoes to provide proper support, preferable ones with arch support.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects, but when lifting anything, bend at the knees and use your leg strength to lift.
• Be careful when engaging in any physical activities such as exercise.

Physical therapists are experts in restoring and improving motion in people’s lives.   A physical therapist can evaluate and design a care plan to meet your specific needs should you experience any back pain. They will also consider your medical history, your trimester (as it relates to the changes in your body), and your prior level of activity in order to help relieve any back pain you may have.

Remember, everyone is affected differently from pregnancy. Some woman could experience intense back pain, while others might not suffer from back pain at all. However, by following the simple tips listed above, back pain could be reduced or even avoided completely.

Did you miss our last post on stretches for the middle back? Click here!

Have you discovered any other helpful tips to relieve back pain during pregnancy? Share them with us here!