What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know About Managing Back Pain

Women’s bodies go through a great deal of change in a relatively short time during a pregnancy, and it’s all your body can do to keep up. If, like scores of women before you, you’re dealing with back pain related to your pregnancy, there are a few tips that can help.

The team here at Advanced Spine Care and Pain Management pulled together a few suggestions for managing back pain, as well as why your back may be in pain in the first place, in the following.

Why the back pain?

While the answer may seem obvious — your back is, quite literally, carrying a larger load — back pain often develops early in pregnancy. The reason for this is that, when you become pregnant, ligaments in your body become softer, allowing them to stretch. As a result, these connective tissues are providing the same support for your joints as they typically do, which can lead to pain in your low back.

As you progress through your pregnancy, the reason behind the back pain becomes increasingly obvious as you watch your belly grow. This forces the natural C shape in your spine to increase, placing more pressure on the vertebrae, as well as surrounding tissues, such as the psoas muscle in your hip.

Managing the back pain

While there's nothing you can do lighten the load during your pregnancy, there are some steps you can take to ease the discomfort in your back, including:

Wearing the right shoes

Now is the time to put those high heels away and opt for roomy, comfortable flats. This allows your feet to spread out and do what they’re supposed to do — support your weight.

Practice good posture

Good posture is key at all times, but it’s especially important during a pregnancy. Resist the urge to slouch, and keep your back straight with your shoulders back. This stance ensures that your entire spine is working to support the added weight.

Get massages

Frequent massages are a great idea for managing sore muscles in your back during pregnancy. Not to mention, this practice can relieve body-wide stress and muscle tension.

Move around

Getting a little exercise can help stretch the tight tissues in your back, so we urge you to get up and go for frequent walks.

Use heat and cold

Applying ice packs and hot compresses to your back can be very beneficial. First, the cold can help dull the pain while the heat helps to loosen tight tissues and encourage better circulation.

For more great tips and information about back pain during pregnancy, check out this link.

If your back pain persists despite your efforts, we urge you to come see us so we can provide you with additional options for managing your pain.

For more information on pregnancy-related back pain, please contact us. Click the “request appointment” button or call one of our offices in Staten Island or Hartsdale, New York, to set up a consultation.