How to avoid back pain during pregnancy? (Or handle it if she’s already there)

Having back pain during pregnancy, sometimes for several months, is really a pain. So, we asked Sophie Nahler, a physiotherapist in Aix-en-Provence, how to avoid this classic problem during pregnancy and how to improve the situation if you’re already at the turtle stuck on your back stage.

To avoid back pain during pregnancy: keep moving as before

His first advice, it was not what we expected:

“The most important thing to avoid back pain during pregnancy is to keep moving as you used to, except of course in the case of a high-risk pregnancy with a medical contraindication. You have to keep walking, yoga, stretching, swimming, dancing: lthe only thing not to do is immobility.

The idea is to find something you like and keep going for nine months. Even when you’re at the end of your pregnancy, it’s important to keep moving your pelvis, your back, in all directions. »

The physiotherapist provides some examples of classic exercises that can be done: how to get on all fours and alternate the round back and the hollow back. But also sit on a chair, spread your knees and tilt your pelvis back and forth.

Back pain in pregnancy? Pay attention to your daily postures

It is also important to pay attention to posture when sitting, especially when working: back straight, belly in, feet flat on the ground and shoulders relaxed. You can also try to think about getting up from your workstation regularly to change positions and stretch your legs.

Investing in a large pregnancy ball such as the Swiss Ball can also be worthwhile, according to Sophie Nahler.

“There are a lot of exercises you can do on the ball as well, and then when you’re sitting on a ball, you can’t bend over, you have to keep mobilizing your back and abs. »

When asked about the other positions to adopt on a daily basis, the physiotherapist explains that the advice usually given to pregnant women actually applies to everyone. To get up from a lying position, it is better to go to the side, rather than suddenly pulling up on the lower back and abs.

And of course, when you bend over, instead of bending your back forward, it’s better to bend your knees. You can also invest in yoga bricks if you want to continue adopting a comfortable squatting position for doing everyday things, like filling a washing machine through the window. And what’s more, you can reuse them to make some sweet prenatal yoga.

What causes back pain during pregnancy?

Normally, when the pregnancy is going well and the pregnant woman is able to maintain good posture by continuing to mobilize the abs, back pain is not inevitable, according to Sophie Nahler.

“Physiologically, there are hormones that are secreted during pregnancy so that the joints adapt. Of course, in the case of twin pregnancies or big babies, there are weight issues that can end up weighing you down in the last trimester.

Otherwise, back pain often comes from posture: it There are pregnant women who already at three months have a posture as if they were 8 months pregnant, with a hollow back and a very prominent belly. However, if we completely relax the abs, the muscles that take over to maintain the posture will force and will come to compress the sciatic nerve. And that’s what causes the pain. »

Pelvic support belt and consultation with the physiotherapist: two useful ways

If you’re in this case, Sophie Nahler advises not to hesitate to see a physical therapist, because it’s not necessarily a reflex for midwives to refer patients who have back pain.

During the consultations, the physiotherapist will be able to direct you to exercises suitable for your situation (and it is always easier to reproduce them when they are shown to you live).

Finally, in some cases, investing in a pelvic support belt may be a good idea, but not all are equal according to Sophie Nahler, who instead recommends the physiomat belt to her patients.

Come on, good luck sticking it out until the big day, and don’t hesitate to ask for help treating your aching back. We didn’t come here to suffer, okay?