Why back pain occurs during pregnancy and what you can do about it.
50 to 70 % of all pregnant women suffer from lower back pain. Affected women feel the pain between the lower ribs and buttocks, sometimes even in their thighs, knees or calves. The pain can occur at any time during pregnancy.
During pregnancy the growing baby belly shifts the body’s centre of gravity forward. The abdominal muscles, which have a major influence on the stabilization of the body, are less strong. The gap in the straight abdominal muscles, the so-called diastasis recti is increasing. (This is a normal process, since the belly needs space to grow.) But all this leads to an increased curvature of the spine, which increases the pressure on the lower back.
Changes in Hormone Levels
If the pain already occurs at the beginning of pregnancy, it is because of changes in hormone levels. Hormones released during pregnancy soften the tissue. As a result, stabilising ligaments of the pelvis can no longer perform as well as they usually do. The reduced stability causes a higher load in the pelvis and back area.
The growing baby in the uterus can also have an influence on the mother’s blood circulation. It can cause a reduced blood flow in the pelvic area and lower back, as well as in the legs. Affected women often complain about swollen legs. The swelling occurs mainly in the feet and lower legs.
What can you do?
Important are exercises to stabilize the pelvic and back area. You should now stabilize the lower torso muscles in particular (which are also closely connected to the pelvic floor) with gentle, well-coordinated exercises.
Two exercises
- A very simple exercise is cat-cow, in which you roll your spine in and out again. You can do this slightly bent forward with your hands resting on your thighs while standing or standing on four feet. Always make sure that it feels good and that your growing baby bump still has enough room.
- Another exercise is the tiger. Starting again from a four-footed stance, inhale and raise your right arm and left leg outstretched and then bring your right elbow and left knee together under your stomach as you exhale. As you inhale, raise both again and stretch them out and continue in this way. Make sure that you only go so far that you can still breathe smoothly.
If you would like to receive more information and learn other exercises, sign up for a trial session of the postnatal training (Thursday 17.45, 60 mins.).