Back pain during pregnancy is a common occurrence. Almost three quarters of women suffer from back pain during pregnancy. Due to the increasing weight that the growing baby brings with it, the mother’s spine is put under increased strain during pregnancy.
The one-sided weight gain on the belly has a considerable effect on the mother’s posture. Her back is increasingly pulled into a hollow back. This is known as lumbar hyperlordosis.
Therapy/treatment
- The therapy against back pain during pregnancy begins preventively at the beginning of the pregnancy. If symptoms already exist, certain treatments and interventions can alleviate the symptoms. Balanced gymnastics consisting of relaxing and strengthening exercises can support the musculature and counteract overloading.
A good, stable trunk musculature can protect against back pain. Strengthening exercises can be specifically adapted to the pregnancy. Women who did little sport before pregnancy should start slowly with appropriate exercises to avoid overloading the body.
Heat applications can be helpful and soothing in the case of acute pain, but should be applied in a dosed manner, as they can possibly trigger premature labor pains in late pregnancy. of the corresponding back area are well suited to relax tense muscle regions. Various relieving positions or breathing techniques are helpful to relax the back and the autonomic nervous system. If pain occurs in certain positions, for example at night, it is possible to stabilize a comfortable position with appropriate positioning cushions.
Exercises
As an exercise against back pain during pregnancy, for example, the bridge position can be used: The seat and the four-footed stand are further starting positions. Aids such as gymnastic balls can also be used. From the large number of exercises, some should be selected which are performed regularly, preferably daily.
More exercises can be found in the articles:
- Here the woman lies in a supine position on a pad, the arms are loosely stretched out beside the body, the legs are set up. As she breathes, the pelvis is tilted and lifted. When breathing out, the pelvis rolls backwards, so that the lower back is pressed against the support.
The protruding pelvic bones turn upwards in the process. When breathing in, the position is released again, so that the back is released from the support. It is not necessary to perform a forced counter movement, as the hollow back position should not be promoted any further.
- If this movement sequence is safely controlled, the buttocks can now be raised during exhalation so that the thighs and pelvis are in a straight line.
The back can either be lifted stably, or slowly rolled up vertebra by vertebra. If the first variant is chosen, it is a strengthening exercise, the back is stabilized, the hips are stretched. The exercise can be performed 12 times in 3 sets. If the exercise is performed vertebra by vertebra, it serves to mobilize the lower spine and should be less strenuous. It can then be performed in 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
- Exercises against back pain during pregnancy
- Back pain during pregnancy
- Exercises for a slipped disc during pregnancy
- Pelvic floor training during pregnancy
- Yoga for pregnant women
- Cervix exercises
All articles in this series: