Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : October 23, 2017 11:13 AM IST
Women have to face a lot of aches and pains during pregnancy, what with the growing belly and the discomfort. However, the most nagging of all the pains is the back and pelvic pain. It is very little you can do to escape these pains. But proper care and management can help to alleviate the pain and give you some respite. If you are wondering why these pains flare up during pregnancy, here are some reasons:
Change in the musculoskeletal structure: During pregnancy, the centre of gravity changes as the belly starts to grow. This makes a woman stoop forward and the pelvic area expands to adjust to the newly formed skeletal shape to provide balance. This takes a toll on the lower back and the hip joints. If a woman had a weak back and complained of backaches prior to pregnancy, then the bulging uterus makes things worse. Lower abdominal pain has also been attributed to stretching of the round ligaments during the later stages of pregnancy. Since the body tries to balance itself as the uterus bulges out, lack of proper back support leads to lower back pain and at times it radiates to the pelvic area as the hip bones extend to the maximum to support the bulging belly. Here are five ways to deal with back pain during pregnancy.
Hormonal changes: The hormone relaxin released during pregnancy losses the ligaments and joints. This is the body s own way of preparing one to face labour. However, this losing of ligaments and joints can also give rise to pain, especially if the expectant mother is lacking in her calcium intake. Here are 10 superfoods that every pregnant woman should include in their diet.
Improper posture: One thing that most mothers forget is that as the uterus bulges out it is necessary to correct their posture to reduce the incidences of pain. Keeping the back straight and shoulders parallel to the ground will help one take the stress of the back and alleviate back and hip pain. Most mothers end up stopping their backs which just adds to the problem.
Lack of rest: Most women try to stick to their pre-pregnancy routine and deny themselves the adequate rest. This makes it difficult for the body to cope with the aches and pains. Taking rest and giving the back proper support can go a long way in alleviating such kind of pains.
Reference:
Lalkhen, A., & Grady, K. (2008). Non-Obstetric Pain in Pregnancy. Reviews in pain, 1(2), 10-14.
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