Pregnancy is life-changing. It can also be said that pregnancy is very much ‘body-changing’ with a variety of different changes to our physical make-up occurring in a relatively short amount of time. Chiropractic during pregnancy can help support you through some of the physical challenges that can present during your pregnancy.
As many as half of all pregnant woman will have some kind of lower back or pelvic pain during their full term. This is most notably caused by a change in posture that comes about as a result of a change in the centre of gravity moving more forward. The increase in size of the uterus, where the baby is growing and developing, causes an increase in the lumbar/lower back curvature and pronounced forward head carriage. Change in posture places more stress and strain to the joints in the spine due to a change in load distribution which can lead to pain and tightness in the lower back, pelvis and the neck. In addition, the increase in circulating progesterone, estrogen, and relaxin throughout gestation, especially in the third trimester, brings about pelvic hypermobility and creates a decrease in spinal stabilization.
How Can Chiropractic During Pregnancy Help?
It is during this time of rapid change that chiropractic during pregnancy is a fantastic means of helping to alleviate pain and tightness. Utilising soft tissue/massage techniques, pelvic blocking, mobilisations, stretches and adjustments, all aim to take pressure off the joints to make you feel and move better.
Another benefit of chiropractic during pregnancy is to ensure the proper positioning of the pelvis, allowing for the optimal delivery of the baby. At Impulse, we use the Webster Technique which aims to correct potential musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint. Intrauterine constraint is defined as any force external to the developing fetus that obstructs the normal movement of the fetus such as tightened muscles and ligaments due to a shift in normal pelvis alignment during pregnancy. Correct pelvic position equals optimal delivery of baby!
If we look at the effectiveness of chiropractic during pregnancy we can certainly see the benefit and positive outcomes. A study examining its effectiveness demonstrated improvement of symptoms in 90% of women treated and substantial relief was achieved in an average of 1.8 treatments. ¹ It was noted that no adverse reactions to treatment were reported. This observed evidence supports the hypothesis that chiropractic during pregnancy is an effective means to reducing the intensity of low back pain during pregnancy.
It is therefore a great idea to book in for an appointment and get your spine checked for any signs of dysfunction so you can have as easy a pregnancy as possible for you and your baby! If you have any questions about chiropractic treatment during your pregnancy, our chiropractors are more than happy to discuss treatment plans with you and how we can help. Impulse Chiropractic help pregnant women from all areas across the Northern Beaches including areas such as North Curl Curl, Freshwater, Dee Why, Brookvale, Manly, Collaroy and Narrabeen.
To book an appointment with one of our Chiropractors please click the link below!
References
- Lisi A.J. Chiropractic spinal manipulation for low back pain of pregnancy: a retrospective case series. J Midwifery Women’s Health. 2006;51(1):e7–e10.
