Back pain has been seen as one of the common complaints among pregnant women. This happens due to putting on weight, shifting of the center of gravity, and hormones start to relax the ligaments present in the pelvic joints. However, you can ease this back pain during pregnancy to a significant extent. We have listed some of the safe and effective ways that help in reducing this pain.
Why does a pregnant woman suffer from back pain?
With the development of the baby in your womb, the center of gravity displaces from its original position. To avoid yourself from falling forward, you tend to compensate it by leaning back. This is what causes strain on your back muscles especially the ones present in the lower back region. This leads to experiencing pain in the back during pregnancy.
Effective Ways To Lessen Back Pain During Pregnancy
Practice good posture: Practicing good posture is very important to ease your back pain. Here are a few tips that will help you maintain a good posture.
- Stand up tall and erect
- Hold the chest high
- Keep shoulders back and in a relaxed state
- Do not lock your knees
- Stand using a comfortably wide stance. It will provide the best support to your back.
- Good posture also involves sitting with care. You must pick a chair that offers good support to your back. While you sit, you must remember that your back should be erect, and not slouching. To give more comfort to your back, placing a small cushion behind the lower back is also beneficial.
Engage yourself in exercise: Exercise is another important thing that you can do to release back pain. Staying mobile prevents your muscles from getting stiff and tight. Some of the pregnancy-friendly physical activities that can be performed while pregnancy is swimming, walking, free weight squats, bridges, lunges, and glute kickbacks. All these exercises not just improve your posture but also strengthen your back and lower body (hamstrings, calves, and glutes). Regularly performing these exercises help in reducing back pain to a considerable extent.
Wear the right shoes: The type of shoes that you wear also have an impact on your back. If you wear high heels, then it will put unnecessary pressure on your back and legs. It can cause you to further displace your center of gravity in the forward direction. You may even fall while wearing high heels. Health experts advise wearing comfortable low-heeled shoes that provide you good arch support.
Wear a maternity belt: Wearing a maternity assistance belt is another important thing that you can do to lower your back pain. A maternity belt is a kind of a support garment that performs the function of the muscles, ligaments, and fascia of the girdle region in the back. Such belts are advised by doctors due to their relieving effect on the back pain.
Lift properly: You may need to lift things during pregnancy. By using an improper posture, you can hurt your back and even aggravate the pain. Learn the right way to lift things to avoid exertion on your back. When you lift a small object, bend down in a squat position and lift the object with your legs. Avoid bending at the waist level or lifting with the back. Also, it is advised to know your limits. Don’t lift a weight that you can’t lift. It is better to ask for help whenever you require it.
Deep inhalation and exhalation: Sometimes irregular breathing can also lead to back pain during pregnancy. As the organs of the body get squeezed up due to yours and your baby weight, there are chances for the diaphragms to function improperly. This can cause faulty movement of the rib cage that can contribute towards back pain.
Proper breathing with controlled inhalation and exhalation of air aids in the right movement of the rib cage. Slow and directed deep breaths will supply oxygen to the ribcage, lower as well as middle back, thereby releasing any stiffness in those muscles.
Try cold or hot massage treatment: The intensity of back pain can be reduced by the application of ice or hot water tube to the affected region. Massage the area with warm oil or place an ice pack or a heating pad below your lower back. These methods will give you relief from back pain.
Prenatal Yoga: Prenatal yoga is another popular technique that helps in giving relief from back pain. It lowers pains related to muscles, nerves, and joints, in the back due to the excess weight of pregnancy. Prenatal yoga enhances posture and tones up the physical body. It relaxes and strengthens those muscles to reduce the intensity of back pain.
Also read: How To Treat Morning Sickness In Pregnancy
Conclusion
Back pain is one of the annoying troubles that you face during pregnancy. So, if you find that your back is talking to you in a discomforting way, then try the above ways to ease your back pain today. If the pain does not reduce or subside, then you should talk to your health care provider straight away.