How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• By Wyndham Physio

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• Pregnancy is meant to be the best time of life
  for a woman as it is the first step towards
  motherhood.
• But, about 70 women suffer from back pain,
  especially in the lower back during the course of
  their pregnancy making it not as enjoyable as it
  should be.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• There are various reasons that lead to Pregnancy
  Back Pain. Let us look at the most common ones.
• Weight Gain
• As your baby grows, you obviously gain weight.
  This weight gain can be anywhere between 10-15
  kgs or 25-35 pounds.
• This increase in weight leads to more stress to
  the spine as it has to support it. Also, the
  increase in uterus weight leads to creating
  pressure on the blood vessels and the nerves of
  the pelvic region and back.
• All these factors lead to back pain.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• Postural Changes
• As a result of increase in weight during
  pregnancy, the center of gravity of your body
  shifts.
• The center tilts slightly forward as majority of
  the weight gain happens around your belly region.
  
• Unknowingly, to compensate for this change, your
  body tends to put stress on the lower back
  leading to back pain.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• Hormonal Changes
• Relaxin is a hormone that is produced by a
  womans body when she is pregnant.
• This hormone helps the ligaments in the pelvic
  region to relax and also loosens the joints to
  prepare for child birth.
• Hormonal ChangesAs a side effect, this hormone
  also loosens the ligaments that support the
  spine. This in turn can lead to back pain as the
  stress on the spine increases.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• Muscle Separation
• Due to uterus expansion during pregnancy, the
  rectal abdominis muscles may separate the length
  of the center seam. This can aggravate back pain.
• Emotional Stress
• A woman may find herself stressed out emotionally
  at certain times during pregnancy.
• This stress can lead to muscular tension in the
  back leading to back pain.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• It is very important to manage Pregnancy Back
  Pain. There are various ways to do this and it
  would depend on an individuals condition and
  level of pain.
• Exercise
• Keeping your body active during pregnancy is
  absolutely essential. Consult your
  Physiotherapist to setup an exercise routine that
  is right for you.
• If you have not been following an exercise regime
  prior to your pregnancy, your Physiotherapist
  will advice you accordingly to ensure that all
  the exercises you take up are safe for you.
• Walking, swimming and stationary cycling are the
  safest exercises for any pregnant woman.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• Postural Correction
• It is imperative to work on your posture and
  ensure that you do not put unnecessary stress on
  your spine and back.
• Sleep with a pillow between your legs and sleep
  on a side rather than flat, sit with a towel
  rolled up behind your back when working on your
  desk, keep your feet on a small stool with your
  back straight.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• Heat Cold Treatment
• Using a heating pad or an ice pack over the
  painful area of your back can surely help you to
  get relief from your pain.
• It is observed that you should alternate between
  hot cold packs for better results.
• Ensure to seek advice from your Physiotherapist
  as to what would be more effective for you based
  on your exact condition and intensity of pain.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain

• Counselling
• If you are undergoing stress, please seek
  professional counselling or just talk to a
  trusted friend or family member. It is very
  important that you are as relaxed as possible.
• Dry Needling or Acupuncture
• Based on the advice of your Physiotherapist, Dry
  Needling or Acupuncture can be very effective in
  reducing your pain.

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How To Manage Pregnancy Back Pain
Hope this article is useful to you and helps
you to manage your Pregnancy Back Pain better. If
you have any further queries regarding back pain,
prenatal or postnatal exercise classes or general
health and well being during pregnancy, please
feel free to get in touch with us.
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Contact Us
Wyndham Physio Hoppers Super Clinic 599 Sayers
Road, Hoppers Crossing, Victoria, 3029 Ph- 03
97489652 03 83605100 Email info_at_wyndhamphysio.co
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