The body makes lots of amazing changes during pregnancy. Some of these can put strain on your lower back and pelvis, especially if there are already pre-existing imbalances in your body.

Lets dive into the most common causes and solutions for back pain in pregnancy based on our experience at KOEO.

Common Cause 1: Altered Centre of Gravity and Increased Anterior Weight

There is a significant postural change that occurs progressively through each trimester of pregnancy. As the baby grows, this anterior mass, forces changes in the shape of your spine: your low back curve gets bigger, your upper back tends to round forward even further and your head has to tilt backwards so your eyes stay level - this adds lots of extra pressure in the upper neck.

If you have any pre-existing imbalance (weakness, or over-activity due to compensation) of muscles like your glutes, pelvic diaphragm, or deep stablising muscles of the spine you may be more likely to experience low back pain.

Common Cause 2: A Twisted Pelvis

We commonly see pregnant clients with a torsion (or a twist) in their pelvis. This can originate from multiple root causes - one of the most common being a pre-existing compensation due to an imbalance further up the spine, usually the upper cervical region. Another being an imbalance in either the anterior (pubic symphysis) or posterior (sacroiliac) joints of the pelvic girdle. In both situations we see that clients have one leg shorter than the other, and muscles and ligaments on one side of the body tend to be under extra tension. This can translate into pain in the low back, pelvis, and/or hips as well as further up the body.

Common Cause 3: Lifestyle Factors

Lifestyle factors like carrying children on one side, using heavy handbags always on the same shoulder, wearing high-heeled (even small heels) shoes, or sleeping in twisted positions can also play a role.

Common Cause 4: Previous Injuries or Compensations

Many of our pregnant clients have had tell-tale signs in their history, however their bodies were able to adapt and cope pre-pregnancy. Its only once their body is subjected to the extra strain of carrying a baby that these underlying compensations or old injuries really start to show up on the surface.

Whatever the cause, its our priority at KOEO to get to the root of your issue and help your body balance itself. Lets look at the most common solutions for back pain in pregnancy:

Solution 1: Chiropractic Care

One effective solution for managing and preventing back pain during pregnancy is chiropractic care. A chiropractor can address misalignments and tensions in the spine and pelvis, providing relief and promoting a more comfortable pregnancy.

Chiropractic during pregnancy involves gentle adjustments that work with your body in a safe and effective way. One study showed that 84% of participants found relief from back pain during pregnancy with Chiropractic care.[1]

In addition, another study that followed participants over an extended period of time found that 52% of 115 recruited patients ‘improved’ at 1 week, 70% at 1 month and 85% at 3 months [2].

Solution 2: Posture Awareness and Footwear Choices

Opt for flat and supportive shoes that contribute to better posture and reduce the risk of back pain. Avoiding any heeled shoes is essential during pregnancy as the low back curve is already exaggerated, and adding in any heel (no matter how high) just exacerbates this curve and adds to the strain.

When lifting or carrying (your child, a handbag, the shopping) aim to carry at the front of your body, by holding anything thats heavy in front of your chest, ideally keeping it close to your body.

Look for bags with two shoulder straps (not sexy, but then neither is debilitating back pain).

Solution 3: Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises targeted at the pelvic diaphragm, glutes, and legs can provide additional support to the lower back, promoting stability and reducing strain. Look for a specific pregnancy related training program online - pilates can be great for this time of your life. Things like glute bridges, squats and bird-dogs are all brilliant at building balanced strength in your lower body and pelvis.

We’d be honoured to help you in your pregnancy journey. Book in for a complimentary phone consultation with Sophie below.

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[1] Sadr, S., Pourkiani-Allah-Abad, N. & Stuber, K.J. The treatment experience of patients with low back pain during pregnancy and their chiropractors: a qualitative study. Chiropr Man Therap 20, 32 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-709X-20-32

[2] Peterson CK, Mühlemann D, Humphreys BK. Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropr Man Therap. 2014 Apr 1;22(1):15. doi: 10.1186/2045-709X-22-15. PMID: 24690125; PMCID: PMC3994225.