It's estimated that upwards of 50% of women will experience low back pain during pregnancy. This can result in sleep disturbances, difficulty doing daily tasks and more. This isn't too surprising know that nearly low back pain is the number one cause of missed work worldwide. We live in a society where we move less than we used to and eat lots of inflammatory foods which together can lead to a whole host of issues resulting in general back pain. Add in pregnancy (where your body will be changing fast!) and it's easy to understand why low back pain may be experienced during pregnancy.
Posture, joint movement, ligament strain and muscle use can all be affected during pregnancy. Lucky for us, chiropractic care can address all of these issues using safe, effective methods with few side effects or risks.
A growing belly and breasts will result in more weight in the front of the body and increased strain on the spine and pelvis. Chiropractic adjustments address the biomechanics (movement) of the spine and posture of the patient. When these are improved, the stress put on the spine and pelvis may be decreased and thus, pain may be reduced. Specific stretches and exercises may also be used to ensure the core is strong and the body is able to handle the changes happening during pregnancy which may lead to less low back pain. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology recently released new guidelines for pregnancy stating "All women without contraindication should be physically active throughout pregnancy". I work with all of my pregnant patients to ensure they are moving well and exercising often, as this can also help with low back pain.
I see many pregnant women who experience low back pain and get relief through chiropractic care. If you want more resources on chiropractic care and pregnancy, check out these links: Chiropractic Treatment for Everyone: Pregnancy (CCA)