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Pregnancy and Low Back PainKristen Markett, PT, OCS, Women's Health SpecialistObstetric low back pain is a common complaint during and following pregnancy. Although some think low back pain in pregnancy is just fatigue, the fact is, there are biomechanical aid hormonal changes, which can cause this prevalent problem It is often the doctor, nurse or midwife who first hears the complaint. PHYSICAL THERAPY cans often prevent or correct the musculoskeletal dysfunction.Because of the high incidence of low back complaints, this condition may seem "normal" to both the patient and medical practitioner. Unfortunately, pain during pregnancy is always a sign of an underlying condition and needs to be addressed appropriately. Some lower back symptoms may include:
Sources of Low Back PainPostural Pain: Pain caused by faulty posture and poor body mechanics. Muscles and ligaments can get imbalanced (shortened or lengthened) for too long causing postural dysfunction or postural pain syndromeJoint Dysfunction: If soft tissue imbalances are not corrected they can lead to joint dysfunction. Joint dysfunction or disturbance of normal joint movement can occur in the lumbar spine, pubis, sacrum or coccyx regions. Joint laxity in these areas is also common during pregnancy. Patients complaining of pain in these areas most likely have experienced a joint subluxation or lock. Therefore, their symptoms mast likely will not pass without physical therapy intervention. Disk Derangement/Sciatica: These may be suspected if a woman has some neurologic signs such as muscle weakness and specific sensory changes. Other signs may be decreased deep tendon reflexes, radiating pain into the legs and a positive straight leg raise. Sciatica is often present with low back pain end sacroiliac dysfunction. As the sciatic nerve passes anterior to the sacroiliac joint it can become inflamed with any joint dysfunction. Piriformis Syndrome: Persistent, severe radiating pain that extends from the sacrum to the hip joint over the gluteal region and posterior portion or the upper leg characterizes the piriformis syndrome. The involved hip may present with excessive external rotation when the patient lies supine. This is due to the shortened piriformis muscle. A note to remember is that the sciatic nerve passes under or through this muscle and can become compressed or entrapped giving rise to leg symptoms. Coccydynia: A painful coccyx usually presents if there was a prior injury or dislocation. These can occur during delivery and can also be an indication of a pelvic floor dysfunction. POSSIBLE ADL CAUSES OF LOW BACK PAIN:
At Advanced Rehabilitation Clinics a physical therapist with advanced training in Women's Health is educated on exactly what to do for this very special population. Please contact us for more information..
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