Low Back Pain in Pregnancy

Both during and after pregnancy women are subjected to altered mechanical stresses which affect the low back and frequently result in low back problems. 

As the new infant develops in the mother's womb, two simple changes take place which influence her posture.First, there is the gradually increasing bulk and weight of the developing infant. In order to maintain balance during standing and walking, the mother must lean further backward to counterbalance her altered weight distribution. The result of this postural adjustment is an increase in lordosis. 

In the final weeks of pregnancy the lordosis may become excessive, and this may lead to overstretching of the tissues surrounding the joints of the low back.

Second, to prepare the body for the impending delivery of the baby, the joints of the pelvis and lower back are made more flexible and elastic .

This greater elasticity means that the joints involved become more lax and are easily overstretched when subjected to mechanical strains. 

 After the child is born the mother is often too busy to care for herself properly, and sometimes the postural fault which has developed during pregnancy remains present for the rest of her life. If your back problems commenced during or after pregnancy, it is likely that your lordosis has become excessive and your problems  are caused mainly by postural stresses. If this is the case, the extension exercises recommended for the majority of people with low back pain are unsuitable for you at the present time, and you should concentrate mainly on correction of the standing posture.

Problems caused by postural stresses are always resolved by postural correction. For one week you must watch your posture very closely. At all times you should maintain the correct posture, not only during standing but also while walking. You must stand tall and walk tall and not allow yourself to slouch. If after one week of postural correction the pain has disappeared or reduced considerably,faulty posture is to be blamed for your back problems.

If your back problems commenced during or after pregnancy and you feel worse when standing and walking but much better when sitting, extension exercises again are not suitable for you.