Low Back Relief For The Expecting Mother

45-90% of expecting mothers experience low back pain at some point throughout the pregnancy!

 

Pregnancy-related low back pain is usually a result of functional stressors not structural issues with the mother’s low back.

Key Causes:

  1.  Weight Gain

  2. Gait Changes

  3. Postural strains from hormone -induced ligament laxity

This predominantly frontal weight gain advances the center of gravity, forcing an anterior pelvic tilt and lumbar hyperlordosis- placing excessive stress on the ligaments, discs, lumbar facet joints and sacroiliac joints.

Exercises for Low Back Relief

Since an excessive lumbar lordosis diminishes the spine’s capacity to absorb axial load, the intervertebral discs undergo excessive compression, likewise exacerbated by weight gain.

 These biomechanical stressors are significantly increased during pregnancy due to a tenfold increase of the hormone relaxin.

 Less than half of women with pregnancy-related low back pain seek care.

Spinal manipulation and other manual therapy techniques are highly supported by evidence and research as a safe and effective solution to help all mother’s manage this pain.

 At Southern Spine & Rehab, we promise to always keep your best interest at the center of every decision made! Join the Southern Spine Family today!

 Science Sources

Wu WH, Meijer OG, Uegaki K, Mens JM, Van Dieen JH, Wuisman PI, Östgaard HC. Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPP), I: Terminology, clinical presentation, and prevalence. European Spine Journal. 2004 Nov 1;13(7):575-89. 

Pierce HM. Pregnancy-related low back and pelvic girdle pain: listening to Australian women (Doctoral dissertation). 

Diakow P.R.P., Gadsby T.A., Gadsby J.B., Gleddie J.G., Leprich D.J., Scales A.M. Back pain during pregnancy and labor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1991;14(2):116–118.

Berg GÖ, Hammar M, Möller-Nielsen JE, Lindén UL, Thorblad J. Low back pain during pregnancy. Obstetrics and gynecology. 1988 Jan;71(1):71-5. 

Mogren IM, Pohjanen AI. Low back pain and pelvic pain during pregnancy: prevalence and risk factors. Spine. 2005 Apr 15;30(8):983-91

George JW, Skaggs CD, Thompson PA, Nelson DM, Gavard JA, Gross GA. A randomized controlled trial comparing a multimodal intervention and standard obstetrics care for low back and pelvic pain in pregnancy. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 2013 Apr 1;208(4):295-e1. 

Chan YL, Lam WW, Lau TK, Metreweli C, Chan DP. Back Pain in Pregnancy—Magnetic Resonance Imaging Correlation. Clinical radiology. 2002 Dec 1;57(12):1109-12. 

Waddell G, Somerville D, Henderson I, Newton M. Objective clinical evaluation of physical impairment in chronic low back pain. Spine. 1992 Jun;17(6):617-28. 

Cherkin DC, Deyo RA, Street JH, Barlow W. Predicting poor outcomes for back pain seen in primary care using patients' own criteria. Spine. 1996 Dec 15;21(24):2900-7. 

Bronfort G, Bouter LM. Responsiveness of general health status in chronic low back pain: a comparison of the COOP charts and the SF-36. Pain. 1999 Nov 1;83(2):201-9. 

Sabino J, Grauer JN. Pregnancy and low back pain. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine. 2008 Jun 1;1(2):137-41.

Mogren IM, Pohjanen AI. Low back pain and pelvic pain during pregnancy: prevalence and risk factors. Spine. 2005 Apr 15;30(8):983-91. 

Dilfer CS. Your Baby Your Body. Random House Value Pub; 1984 Apr 1.

Mogren IM. Previous physical activity decreases the risk of low back pain and pelvic pain during pregnancy. Scandinavian journal of public health. 2005 Aug;33(4):300-6. 

Diakow P.R.P., Gadsby T.A., Gadsby J.B., Gleddie J.G., Leprich D.J., Scales A.M. Back pain during pregnancy and labor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1991;14(2):116–118.

Fast A, Shapiro D, Ducommun EJ, Friedmann LW, Bouklas T, Floman YI. Low-back pain in pregnancy. Spine. 1987 May;12(4):368-71. 

Weis CA, Barrett J, Tavares P, Draper C, Ngo K, Leung J, Huynh T, Landsman V. Prevalence of low Back pain, pelvic girdle pain, and combination pain in a pregnant Ontario population. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. 2018 Aug 1;40(8):1038-43. 

 Saxena AK, Chilkoti GT, Singh A, Yadav G. Pregnancy-induced low back pain in Indian women: Prevalence, risk factors, and correlation with serum calcium levels. Anesthesia, essays and researches. 2019 Apr;13(2):395. 

Weis CA, Barrett J, Tavares P, Draper C, Ngo K, Leung J, Huynh T, Landsman V. Prevalence of low Back pain, pelvic girdle pain, and combination pain in a pregnant Ontario population. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. 2018 Aug 1;40(8):1038-43. 

 Weis CA, Pohlman K, Draper C, da Silva-Oolup S, Stuber K, Hawk C. Chiropractic Care of Adults With Postpartum-Related Low Back, Pelvic Girdle, or Combination Pain: A Systematic Review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2020 Aug 30.