Low back pain is one of the most common complaints during pregnancy. Anywhere from 20% up to 72% report low back and or pelvic girdle pain during their pregnancy. Pregnancy low back pain is common, but is not normal.
Of the women who report low back pain during their pregnancy, 30% to 50% report pain severe enough to affect their job duties or they refrain from social interactions because of their pain. There are things that you can do to help…
avoid back pain during pregnancy. Below you will find 3 positioning tips to help manage or reduce back pain.
Tip #1: Sitting Position
Avoid soft, squishy, and low couches. Everything is a little bit more lax and loose during pregnancy and when we sit down on a low, soft couch, this can place a lot of stress and strain through our back and our pelvis and can be very uncomfortable and painful when we try to move or stand up from sitting. Instead, opt for a firmer couch with support behind your back, especially if you are shorter and your feet don’t hit the ground (especially when you scoot back onto your couch). Place pillows behind your back to make sure that you are in a nice supported, upright posture. Think of having your hips, knees, and ankles at 90 degree angles.
Tip #2: Sleeping Posture
This tip relates to sleeping posture. During pregnancy, it is common to sleep on our side which can increase back and pelvic pain if left unsupported. First, place one or two pillows between your knees to keep your pelvis in a neutral position. Second, use a small, rolled-up towel and place this under your waist between your ribcage and pelvis. This should feel very comfortable as the towel roll fills up the space and the pillow keeps your pelvis level. This will support your trunk, pelvis and waist and keep proper alignment while lying on your side.
Tip #3: Floor Sitting Position
This tip relates to when you need to get down on the floor while playing with your kids. Try sitting on a rolled-up blanket or yoga mat so that your pelvis tips slightly forward and can be a little more supported. If we are sitting on the ground unsupported, we have a tendency to sit with a rounded back. We typically sit back directly onto our tailbone which can be uncomfortable.The yoga mat allows us to open our hips a little bit more, take pressure off our back, and maintain a more upright posture.
If you are pregnant and dealing with back pain issues, we do have a free resource on our website that has 10 Simple Tips to Help You Avoid Pregnancy-Related Pains. You can check that out at https://www.legacytherapystl.com/prenatal-pain.htmlto download our free report because we want you to have a comfortable pain-free pregnancy.
