While there are many beautiful moments to be had going through pregnancy, many women can also attest to the frequent aches and pains in the hips and low back that start making themselves known by the second or third trimesters.
Having a chiropractor as a part of your support team during pregnancy can be an integral part in keeping you mobile and making sure your hips are as balanced and prepared as possible for the birthing process. Some common injuries I treat during pregnancy include: SI joint pain, sciatica, low back pain, hip bursitis, tailbone pain, upper back and neck tension, pubic symphysis pain, and rib pain.
During pregnancy, the techniques I utilize are much more gentle than a typical chiropractic session. A typical pregnancy visit includes the ability for you to lay face down on a cozy pregnancy pillow while I inspect the tension in the muscles and ligaments that surround the sacrum and hip joints. Gentle muscle releases are given using my hands and often a light drop table or activator adjustment to the sacrum and low back. After, while face up, it is common to do a release to the tight diaphragm muscle under the rib cage to make sure the baby has as much space as they need. We’ll also make sure the tight hip flexor muscles are even left to right as to avoid putting undue pressure on one side of your belly. There may also be other muscles or joints to inspect based on your specific pain.
These visits are some of my favorites as they are usually very relaxing. Your muscles during pregnancy are very amenable to soft tissue work with all of that new found relaxin flowing through you!
After so much mobility work it is always good to end with a little bit of pelvic floor and glute activation to make sure all of your muscles are back online before moving from sitting to standing. Depending on the pain, some women will need more rehab than others.
If you have any questions regarding if chiropractic care is safe for you during your pregnancy, always feel free to reach out! I will always refer you to the right specialist if your case requires it, but would LOVE to be a part of your care team!