6 Ways to Minimize Back Pain During Pregnancy
Sensitivity to back pain varies greatly among individuals. Some people experience intense back pain from a young age. Others enjoy healthy, pain-free spines until their middle-aged years. And, unfortunately, pregnant women are predisposed to experiencing back pain. Back pain can turn an already difficult time into something much worse. Read on to learn how you can minimize back pain during pregnancy, and pursue a more comfortable lifestyle.
1. Stand With Proper Posture
During pregnancy, the shape of a woman’s body changes. As the child causes the woman’s stomach to grow, her center of gravity shifts forward. Because of this, many women naturally lean backward in an effort to prevent forward falls. But, this habit will certainly cause damage to the spine in the future.
When you lean backward, the muscles in your lower back become strained. This is one of the most prominent causes of back pain for pregnant women.
The best way to prevent pain resulting from poor posture is by proactively standing with the correct posture. Keep your chest high, knees loose, and shoulders back. Avoid a hunched position; stand straight and tall, with a wide stance.
When sitting, find a chair with great back support, and put a small pillow behind your lower back. For assistance in evaluating your posture, seek out advice from a Bellmore Chiropractic specialist.
2. Dress Accordingly
Walking during pregnancy can have benefits for the to-be mother’s mental and physical health. But, keeping a diligent walking routine during pregnancy requires new footwear.
For healthy feet, pregnant women must make a conscious effort to purchase suitable footwear. Wearing low-heeled shoes with good arch support enables you to walk often, and without pain.
Some women may also benefit from a maternity support belt. Fitted around the pregnant woman’s stomach, a maternity support belt lifts the stomach, giving much-needed support. A Bellmore Chiropractic specialist can recommend specific choices to improve your back support during pregnancy.
3. Don’t Sleep on Your Back
After a certain point (about halfway) in the pregnancy, women should avoid sleeping on their backs.
As an alternative to sleeping on the back, sleeping on the side of your body ensures proper blood flow throughout the night and reduced pressure on the lower back. Putting pillows between the knees and under the belly will help with comfort, too. A Bellmore Chiropractic specialist can help you to find a more comfortable (and healthy) sleeping position.
4. Lift Carefully
Properly lifting objects is crucial for general back wellness, and it applies to everyone. But, this awareness is crucial during pregnancy.
When lifting, bend at the knees to carefully pick up the object. Slowly stand up without twisting, keeping your back straight. Placing all of the stress on your arms and thighs will help keep your back safe from harm.
Your weight limits will be much lower than usual during pregnancy, too. If you need help with lifting something, ask a friend or family member.
5. Be Physically Active
Beyond walking, physical activity in general is great for mitigating back pain or damage during pregnancy. It will keep your back strong, and help with pain relief.
Many pregnant women turn to water exercise, for both the therapeutic sensation and the abdominal benefits. Lightly swimming or treading water around the pool is excellent low-impact cardiovascular exercise. Performing other normal exercises in the water– such as squats, leg curls and leg lifts– is also excellent for your body, as the water will protect you from any high-impact injuries.
Before engaging in physical activity, speak to your primary healthcare provider, and be sure that it is gentle.
6. Receive Chiropractic Care
Consistent Chiropractic care is beneficial for people of all ages, regardless of other medical conditions. Not only will it help you reach a deeper state of sleep and keep a better sense of balance, but it will also prevent future pain. This is invaluable during pregnancy, where women are increasingly prone to back pain.
Receiving Chiropractic care during pregnancy is a great way to improve posture and restore balance. It also has a natural, positive impact on some of the unpleasant sensations associated with pregnancy, such as joint and muscle pain.
Flexion distraction is a gentle Chiropractic technique intended for people in delicate situations, especially pregnant women. To perform this technique, the Chiropractor maneuvers the various parts of the spine with a specially designed table, in order to better access different parts of the spine. After accessing the impacted parts of the spine, the Chiropractor will apply rhythmic pressure in a controlled manner to decompress the spine, helping to restore motion, and decrease pain and inflammation.
Medical professionals have only recently caught on to the restorative benefits of heat and cold therapy. Heat therapy soothes the muscles and heals damaged tissue, decreasing the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, reduces swelling and inflammation, and numbs sore tissue.
Bellmore Chiropractic
During pregnancy, back pain adds an unnecessary strain to an already stressful time. The right lifestyle choices, paired with diligent Chiropractic care, can help you minimize this back pain. By diagnosing your body’s condition to determine the source of pain, Dr. Brenner can provide you with the best treatment possible.