Exercises for back pain during pregnancy
The most effective way to prevent or alleviate back pain during pregnancy is regular and appropriate exercise. In addition to walking, swimming or cycling, specific exercises can be done to strengthen muscles, joints and ligaments. Anyone who has already taken regular exercise before pregnancy should maintain these activities, but avoid overloading.
Special exercises are best learned during pregnancy gymnastics. It can also be useful to train for correct posture under the supervision of a physiotherapist during pregnancy. Yoga is also a very good way to combat back pain during pregnancy.An example of a suitable yoga exercise is the “dancing cat”.
For this, the pregnant woman moves into the four-footed position with legs apart hip-wide and hands laid down shoulder-wide. Now the pelvis is gently rotated, with the rest of the spine and head moving with it. Then the right foot is placed forward to the hands and the pelvis is circled again.
Finally, the exercise is repeated with the left leg placed forward. If you have back pain during pregnancy, gentle massages can have a relaxing and relaxing effect. It is important that the massage is also perceived as pleasant.
The person performing the massage should make sure that the connective tissue becomes looser during pregnancy and should therefore be massaged with less pressure than usual. In the case of frequent and recurring back pain, however, passive measures such as massages alone are usually not sufficient to relieve the symptoms. In addition, active exercises should also be performed, for example in the form of pregnancy gymnastics or swimming.
In the case of muscular tensions as a frequent cause of back pain during pregnancy, the application of heat can often provide good relief. A hot-water bottle, a spelt or cherry pit pillow and hot potato wraps are suitable, for example. Also very effective is the irradiation of the affected area with a red light lamp, which can be carried out several times a day for about ten minutes.
A relaxing bath can also help to relax the muscles and thus reduce back pain during pregnancy. The effect can even be enhanced by a muscle-loosening bath additive such as pine or St. John’s wort. Caution is required when using heat.
if the pain character is rather dull and throbbing, since the cause of pain can also be an inflammation, where heat can have a negative effect. In case of corresponding symptoms the gynaecologist or family doctor should be consulted promptly. In case of back pain, one can try to achieve relief by applying a pain-relieving ointment to the affected area.
By massaging the ointment into the area, a relaxation of tense muscle strands is also promoted. Herbal active ingredients such as arnica are particularly suitable. Many other ointments have not been tested for use during pregnancy and should therefore not be used if the package insert contains appropriate instructions.
As a supporting measure to alleviate back pain during pregnancy, the affected muscles can be taped. For this purpose, special elastic bands are stuck to the back along the course of the muscles and left there for a few days. This is intended to promote a relaxation of the musculature so that the pain subsides.
The taping should be done by a person who is trained in the correct application. If laypersons, who have no reliable knowledge of the anatomy of the muscle courses and the functioning of the tapes, apply the tapes, usually no effect can be expected. If necessary, the symptoms may even be intensified.
In addition, taping should never be the sole measure for treating back pain during pregnancy. In addition to heat applications, regular physical activity adapted to the circumstances is important to address the complaints caused by tense muscle strands. Taping can enhance the positive effect of exercise. Without physical activity, on the other hand, the tapes are unlikely to have an effect.
