How to Battle Pain During Pregnancy

A women’s body goes through many changes throughout pregnancy. It makes sense. For just shy of a year your body makes drastic changes to carry, deliver, and care for a child. It’s an amazing process, but it’s also one that creates imbalances and pain for nine plus months.

The anatomical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy can lead to all sorts of different musculoskeletal conditions ranging from carpal tunnel syndrome to low back pain.

Postural changes also occur due to the hormonal action on ligaments. This coupled with increased breast and uterine weight anteriorly causes a forward and upward shift of the center of gravity. Due to the shift of the center of gravity the spine must adjust. This is seen through an increase in the cervical and lumbar curve.  The shoulders will subsequently round forward and the pelvis will anteriorly tilt. What does this all mean? As the belly grows, your low back curves more and your shoulders round forward to compensate for the added weight.

Many women feel these are natural and expected conditions that come along with any pregnancy. They accept the pain they experience as inevitable. However, it’s important to know that there are exercises you can do to combat the pain caused by the changes in your body.

Performing the correct exercises and stretches will help these issues. One of the most important things to begin to strengthen is your core. The core is made up of your abdominals, diaphragm, pelvic floor muscles, and back muscles. Strengthening your core will help to support your spine and improve your posture. While the abdominals become stretched out, the other core muscles will take up the slack.

The other important group of muscles that need to be strengthened are the postural muscles. As the weight of one’s chest increases, it is important that the muscles in the upper and mid back help to combat the anterior pull. The following is a list of a few exercises and stretches to get you started.

To help strengthen your core, do these kegel ball squeeze exercises as needed. Try once in the morning and once in the evening. 

Perform one set of 20 repetitions for each variation. 

Kegel Ball Squeeze

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place a small medicine ball in between your knees.
• Your back should be kept flat throughout the entire exercise.
• Contract your pelvic floor muscles (aka kegel) and squeeze ball, holding for five seconds.
• How to perform a kegel: pretend that you have to stop the flow of urine.
• Repeat

Kegel Ball Squeeze with Bridge

• Repeat steps one through three of Kegel Ball Squeeze
• Raise your hips off the table by pushing up through your heels. Your butt should no longer be on the table.
• Hold and repeat.

Kegel Ball Squeeze with Knees to Chest

• Repeat steps one through three of Kegel Ball Squeeze
• Now, bring your knees to chest slowly and controlled so your feet are off of the table.
• Hold and repeat.

 To help improve your posture, do these resistance band exercises once a day.

Perform three sets of ten repetitions of each both A’s and W’s

   Standing A’s with Resistance Band

• Stand tall, feet shoulder width apart with slack in knees, abs tightened, and arms next to your body with elbows locked.eep your palms forward and shoulders relaxed.
• Grab the resistance band while keeping palms forward. Squeeze shoulder blades together (pinch them down and back), while bringing arms straight back. Hold for 3 seconds.
• Repeat

Standing W’s with Resistance Band

• Stand tall, feet shoulder width apart with slack in knees, abs tightened, arms bent at the elbows forming a ‘W’with  thumbs/fingers up.
• Grab resistance band while keeping palms forward. Squeeze shoulder blades together (pinch them down and back), bring wrists straight back with elbows pointing toward the ground. Hold for 3 seconds.
• Repeat