3 Common Causes of Post-Pregnancy Back Pain
Back pain is a common complaint in people who are pregnant or who have had children. Any mother will agree that pregnancy and childbirth cause dramatic changes in our bodies. Loosened joints, stretched abdominals, or lifting young children are all common causes of back pain. Ignoring these hazards, or jumping too quickly into physical activity can lead to injury, even years down the line.
The cause for your postpartum back pain could be due to a number of factors. If you have severe back pain from pregnancy, childbirth, or raising children, your healthcare provider may refer you to physical therapy. Your physical therapist can help you to diagnose and treat the underlying cause of your back pain. More importantly, a rehabilitation plan can help you to get back to the activities you enjoyed before pregnancy, and handle the new challenges that come with raising your child.
Weakened Core Muscles
One reason moms experience back pain has to do with the physical changes that come with pregnancy. As the uterus expands, it stretches out the abdominal muscles, weakening your core. As your baby grows, your center of gravity moves forward, altering your posture and putting extra pressure on your lower back. These extreme changes can also lead to instability of the hip and spine.
During pregnancy, your core muscles may have become so overworked that they need to be rehabilitated in order to function normally. This is especially true of women who undergo a C-section, which can prolong the recovery process. It’s crucial to learn how to re-engage your entire core in a healthy way before returning to normal physical activity.
Loosened Joints from Pregnancy
When we become pregnant, our bodies produce a hormone called relaxin that loosens ligaments to accommodate your growing baby and relax muscles for delivery. After childbirth, your relaxin levels slowly return to normal levels, which could take up to 12 months. In the meantime, you are more likely to experience joint instability.
Loose joints and ligaments in the pelvic area can cause lower back pain. In addition, you’re more likely to suffer an injury from exercising, or even from everyday activities such as lifting a child.
Poor Movement and Posture
Aside from the physiological changes that come with having children, there are other aspects you should consider. After your baby is born, you might notice that lifting and carrying your child can trigger or worsen back pain. Constantly carrying your child in front of you can exacerbate poor posture and alignment that surfaced during pregnancy. Plus, poor posture during breastfeeding can cause undue strain on your back, neck, and shoulders.
The spine is meant to move in three planes of motion, but it’s common to get stuck in the same positions each day. Holding children with poor posture can lead to a rounded upper spine, resulting in neck or back pain.
It’s important to train your body to lift and carry children who may be up to 30 pounds. Considering that most new mothers are already at risk for injury with weakened core and unstable joints, it is especially important to learn how to move properly. The simple day-to-day movements you make as a mother could be contributing to your back pain.
Conclusion
Whether you are a new mom or are years beyond pregnancy, there are many factors that could be the root cause of your back pain. The right treatment can help mothers of all ages identify, manage, or prevent new or recurring back pain.
Returning to normal activity after pregnancy, or after years of inactivity, without guidance in how to move correctly can lead to injury and pain. If you are a mother suffering from back pain, our physical therapists can help determine the cause of your pain and teach you how to prevent future injuries.