Lets face it, back pain is just down right annoying.
Couple that with an almost 10kg watermelon sticking out the front of your tummy, and you’ve every right to be frustrated!
In this post I’ll attempt to explain why you may be experiencing back pain, and ways that you can find relief today.
As a background, I’m an osteopath who has completed post-graduate studies in obstetrics (pregnancy), and who is passionate about making pregnancy a smooth transition to the wonders of parenthood.
Here’s What I’ll Cover:
Why your back hurts and the main reasons back pain is so common
- The difference between exercise and movement
- Ways to start moving more and experiencing less pain
- Preparing for squats
- The role of an osteopath
- My disclaimer
- Summary
Why does my back hurt?
Low back pain is hands down the most common reason a pregnant woman waddles through my door.
It’s estimated that 50 percent of pregnant women suffer from low back pain during or after their pregnancies.
The main reason for this is the immense change(s) that your body must undergo to prepare for birth.
The combined growth of bubs, your uterus and the supportive fluid shifts the weight distribution of your low back and pelvis.
The outcome of this can create a strain of the supportive muscles, ligaments and bones.
Shouldn’t my body be able to handle these changes?
Well, in a nutshell … yes…
In an ideal world, devoid of computers, couches and cars, we would all be movement superstars.
What’s a movement superstar? It’s simply someone who moves a lot. We have become reliant upon supportive structures (chairs, couches, beds, pillows, shoes etc.) SO MUCH, that we have literally lost the ability to hold ourselves up.
Enter an epidemic of back pain.
Don’t despair just yet however. Movement superstars are as rare as hens’ teeth. Most likely you are an average Jane or Joe like me.
If that’s the case, then there are a few ways that you can start today to move closer to superstar status:
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Ditch the car and walk more often. Park your car further from work/train station/shops and walk to your destination.
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Develop a closer relationship with your floorspace. Instead of reclining in the soft, squishy couch, get down on the floor. Be imaginative with how you sit. Use props (cushions, bolsters, towels) to make yourself as comfortable as possible. Change positions regularly as the cues from your body tell you (stiffness, tension etc.).
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Remove your shoes as often as possible, and start waking up your feet with regular stretching. To learn more about how to do this, see how to download my free guide, ‘5 Tips For a Healthy Pregnancy, Great Birth and Beyond’, at the end of this post.
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When you are sitting in a chair, make sure that you are aligned correctly. This means ensuring your hips are higher than your knees at all times. A wedge cushion can do wonders.
This will begin the process of aligning your body to a more natural way of moving, and reversing some of the tension in your pelvis and back.
Natural vs unnatural movement
Cue one of my favourite movement superstars, Katy Bowman, M.S:
“Nature doesn’t exercise at all, but rather moves continuously throughout the day”.
What does she mean?
As a society we have gotten our priorities wrong. We have prioritised EXERCISE over MOVEMENT.
This may be for many reasons, ranging from technological advances to what my wife likes to call an excess of no time (i.e., busy lives).
Natural movement and back pain
Could the epidemic of back pain in pregnancy be due to this imbalance of movement?
HECK YES!
Pregnancy is called a “natural process” for a reason. It is the epitome of nature at its finest. When you combine a natural process with an unnatural/unstable structure (i.e., one that hasn’t moved regularly for years), the result can be disastrous!
Low back pain, pelvic girdle pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, you name it… If you’re starting with a structure that can hardly support itself, how do you expect it to support a growing baby?
What else can I do about it?
The first step is changing our mindset from having to exercise X, Y, or Z minutes per day, to moving more frequently throughout the ENTIRE day.
Second step is to WALK… more… often.
Start small, especially if you haven’t moved regularly for a while.
Follow this by SQUATTING… more… often…
Like … Animals … Do … In … Nature …
The best place to start practising this is on the porcelain throne (aka toilet). Next time you exit your throne-room, maintain vertical shins (lower leg), and stand up (see picture below). You can practise this getting on and off the toilet, up and down from a chair and so on…
The more upright you can maintain your lower leg throughout a squat, the more active your glutes will be (as opposed to your quads – thigh muscles). This glute activation naturally opens your pelvis and lengthens your pelvic floor – awesome stuff!
While I’m at it – go and get yourself one of these puppies, they are fab for pelvic floor health:
http://www.squattypottyaustralia.com/
Don’t know squat?
Squatting has been a part of our daily lives since day dot. It has only been of recent years that we have ditched this vital activity for more supportive (read: weakening) devices such as chairs and couches.
If done well, squatting will lengthen the pelvic floor, releasing tensions and allowing optimal strength and function to occur.
The ramifications of this are huge, allowing a more comfortable birth experience, and recovery from all the stretching to come.
How do I learn to squat well?
Disclaimer alert!
It would be impossible for me to predict where you lie on the imaginary squat-spectrum. There are numerous factors involved. Needless to say, the best thing to do is to have a qualified health-care practitioner assess you and provide adequate education and advice.
Having said that, there are a few things that you can do before attempting a squat. See this as preparing your body not only for squats, but also for an optimal birth and recovery.
The first and easiest place to start is at your feet. To learn more about your posture and alignment during pregnancy, see how to download my free guide ‘5 tips for a healthy pregnancy, great birth and beyond’, at the bottom of this post.
As a picture paints a thousand words, I’ll let Katy visually demonstrate her amazing preparation routine for squatting HERE, followed by HERE.
What if I’m already massive?
Some might say that you shouldn’t do too much physical exercise or movement during your last trimester, and especially the final weeks.
While this may be true for most, the reasons are usually because we are underprepared for the necessary adaptation required during this time.
If you’re a movement superstar, then you could quite easily squat and move all the way through pregnancy, during birth and beyond…
For the majority of us who don’t fall into this category, then it is best to be assessed by a registered health practitioner, who understands how pregnancy affects your structure and function.
Squatting for birth
Let’s go back a few eons. If you were birthing in a completely ‘natural’ environment, devoid of white walls, disinfectants and stirrups, you would have most likely adopted a squatting posture for birthing.
Why is this? It allows the pelvis and sacrum (tailbone) to open, and enables optimal ‘bearing down’ pressure during contractions.
Unfortunately we are so far removed from this as a common option for birthing in this day and age.
Don’t get me wrong – I am very thankful for the gamut of options available to us if things go sideways. There would certainly be fewer complications these days. I just think it’s a shame we have become so far removed from how are bodies are meant to function during birth.
Segue… from squats to osteopaths …
(me performing a pelvic assessment with a very serious face)
So what role does an osteopath play, and what do they do exactly?
As an osteopath, I will take a thorough case history and perform a physical examination to identify what potential stressors are playing a part in your pain.
Once these have been identified, I use gentle and precise techniques to help restore normal function to your musculoskeletal, nervous and hormonal systems. This leads to a nourishing environment for both mother and baby.
Early intervention is key!
A common theme in osteopathic thinking is that early intervention is key. This is particularly important in pregnancy. The earlier that you do something about any musculoskeletal pain, the easier and more comfortable you will be.
Myth of Symmetry
Aside from the perfect specimen that graces my anatomical wall chart, I am yet to come across a perfectly symmetrical human. This is because they fail to exist, yet most manual therapies aim for this perceived perfect symmetrical alignment.
During pregnancy, your baby will assume a left or right-sided (sometimes transverse) position, thereby creating an asymmetrical stress on the mother’s posture.
Take the above picture for example. The uterus is diagonally tilted in a clockwise direction to the left. The baby in this example is lying head down (cephalic), on the right side in a transverse (horizontal) orientation.
If I was to then try and ‘straighten’ you out, it would compromise all the wonderful compensations that your body has made for this unique arrangement.
This is why it is imperative to be examined and treated by someone not aiming for symmetry, and who instead is interested in the overall function of your whole body.
How many treatments will be required?
This varies from person to person, and depends largely upon how early you begin treatment.
A rough guide is that earlier is always better, and somewhere between 3-6 treatments are useful throughout your pregnancy.
How do I make an appointment?
CLICK HERE or CALL 07 3368 1300 to contact Dr Arun Shapleski (osteopath)
My disclaimer
There is no way that I can know your specific situation. I would need to know your medical history, complete a thorough examination and then come up with a plan that meets your individual needs.
This post, therefore, is in NO WAY a substitute for a thorough assessment and diagnosis by a registered health professional.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to healthcare.
If you’re suffering pain, then it’s my responsibility to recommend that you consult with a professional who is qualified to diagnose and treat pain … and someone, preferably, who knows and understands pregnancy and the unique situation that this brings to the table.
Summary
I’ve explained what causes back pain in pregnancy, and ways to start finding relief.
I’ve taught you to think about EXERCISE and MOVEMENT a bit differently.
I’ve shown you ways to start reversing the difficulties in adaptation that you may be experiencing.
Here are the highlights of this post:
- Back pain in pregnancy is VERY common – roughly 50% of pregnant women suffer unnecessarily!
- Pregnancy doesn’t necessarily CAUSE back pain … it’s the lack of regular movement that leads to a structure unable to adapt to an increased load.
- As a society, we have become reliant upon EXTERNAL support (chairs, couches, soft beds etc.), to the detriment of our INTERNAL support (spine, pelvis, pelvic floor etc.).
- Thankfully this is reversible.
- Start small with regular walking.
- Begin prepping for squats and other natural movement by working from the feet up.
- Be mindful of your postural alignment getting in and out of chairs and on and off the toilet – a perfect place to practise squats.
- Be sensible toward the end of your pregnancy. Seek qualified healthcare advice.
- Learn the unique role that an osteopath can play in relieving your pain and educating you on optimal movement for life.
If you’d like a better understanding of tools that you can start implementing today, download ‘5 Tips For a Healthy Pregnancy, Great Birth and Beyond’. In this free guide, you’ll learn:
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How simple changes in your posture and alignment can greatly affect your health
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Safe ways of moving during pregnancy to reduce back pain now
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How to prepare your body to facilitate a great birth
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How to rest optimally to enable ideal pelvic alignment
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Tips to encourage optimal lie of baby prior to birth
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and more …
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE GUIDE
I welcome your comments or questions in the comment section below … but please realise that I can’t provide any professional advice in this context.
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