Common Causes of Lower Back Pain in Pregnancy

Back pain is the biggest complaint I hear as a massage therapist, but I especially hear it from pregnant ladies. Almost 70% of women will experience back pain of some sort during pregnancy, but the biggest complaint seems to be lower back discomfort of some sort. Most frequently women are experiencing the lower back pain at the end of pregnancy (maybe at the end of the 2nd trimester, but a lot during the 3rd) and it's not surprising given that your belly is growing a baby, stretching a uterus, making lots of amniotic fluid, and more than likely your breasts have gotten bigger which can also be a stress to the body.

Prior to pregnancy if you have already experienced issues with your back, whether just general pain, a back injury, or if you had back pain in previous pregnancies, you're a more likely candidate to experience it while pregnant.

So many people always wonder what is causing the back pain, so I thought I'd do a post about it and put the info all in one place for quick reference.

The biggest issue with lower back pain is typically your posture. Your posture is continually changing during pregnancy, but if you had bad posture to begin with you're more likely to develop worse posture, equaling more back pain. Chiropractic care for issues such as an anteriorly rotated pelvis and lumbar lordosis (both can be quite dramatic in a pregnant woman) is very helpful (massage can help these issues as well, but ultimately, getting an adjustment first is the way to go). Massage of the hips and back muscles will help ease pain and discomfort as well.

Another cause is hormones! I'm sure every pregnant woman has heard the word "relaxin." Relaxin causes all your ligaments to loosen up. You can feel this anywhere in the body (I remember waking up one morning feeling like someone had clobbered be in the knee!), but the most common places to loosen up are the hips and pelvis.

Diastasis recti is a separation of the left and right side of your rectus abdominis muscle (your abs). If your abdominals are weak or undertoned your uterus can fall forward, putting a lot of strain on that muscle (as well as your spine and spinal muscles), causing it to separate. If this muscle separates and there is strain put on the spine and spinal muscles it will further increase your back pain.

Constipation can also cause lower back pain (usually feels like a dull ache).

Kidney Infections will cause a sharp pain in the lower back. You'll feel this below the ribs, usually on one side or the other. The pain can be sudden or constant. UTI's and kidney infections aren't unheard of in pregnancy. If you experience any nausea, vomiting, or fever you should contact your provider.

Last, but certainly not least, contractions can cause lower back pain. If you aren't yet 37 weeks (full term) and you continue to feel lower back pain (off and on lower back pain) contact your provider to be sure you aren't experiencing preterm labor.

So what can you do about it?

• Like I mentioned earlier, chiropractic care is highly recommended, as well as massage. I like to do some stretches for lower back pain paired with massage (be sure you're getting a massage from a person certified in prenatal massage).
• Watch your posture, make sure you're sitting correctly (but don't sit for too long, take breaks and walk), lifting correctly, don't cross your legs, wear good shoes (avoid heels), etc.
• Be sure to not gain an excessive amount of weight (which can put more strain on your back).
• Consider getting a pregnancy belt (support belt) - this can help to lift your belly up (which you can do yourself from time to time throughout the day as well).
• Do pelvic tilts.
• Try not to be too stressed out.
• Ice and heat (alternate them).
• Warm baths/showers.
• Use a pillow between your legs at night.