Have you developed pain around your pelvis during pregnancy? Pelvic girdle pain is extremely common during pregnancy, as joints and ligaments become more flexible to allow for birth and the baby to grow. No need to worry though, there are a number of ways you can manage your pain!
The most important management tool is correcting your posture and movement while you are pregnant. Movements where you put more weight on one leg or the pelvis is not level will increase your pain, as this adds more force to the pelvis. Some movements to avoid include –
- Sitting cross legged
- Walking on uneven surfaces such as sand, gravel, stones, and hills
- Stairs
- Taking long strides when walking
It is important to keep the pelvis level during everyday activities. When doing any movement, activate your core and pelvic floor before moving to provide more support to your pelvis. If you are not sure how to do this, never fear! Please chat to your physiotherapist about how to activate your core. Your physiotherapist can also provide massage to relieve any muscle tightness you are experiencing with your pelvic girdle pain.
Once you know how to activate your core and pelvic floor, try changing your daily movements to the following –
- Sitting down – sit with feet flat on the ground or on a stool and place a rolled-up towel in the middle of the back to support the spine.
- Sleeping – sleep on your side with a pillow between the knees and ankles and stack your head over your shoulders.
- Moving in bed – bring your feet flat and bend knees into a bridge, keep your knees and feet together as you push down through your heels and move your bottom to the side, then roll over onto the side.
- Standing – stand with a soft bend in your knees, flatten your back and avoid holding through your bottom, keep your feet flat facing forward with even weight through both feet, and avoid standing on one leg or with one leg more forward than the other.
One other treatment option would be a maternity support belt! These belts can be fitted by your physiotherapist and sit right on the pelvis to provide some extra support. They can help reduce your pain and improve your function! These are available for purchase in the clinic for $65. Please speak to your physiotherapist or the ladies at reception about purchasing one!
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us on (02) 8883 5360 or email at info@sydneywomensphysiotherapy.com.au