7 Exercises for Pregnancy Back Pain

Pregnancy Back Pain happens throughout pregnancy from the First Trimester and unfortunately until you give Birth. There are ways you can immensely alleviate your pain, especially with exercise. I didn’t experience back pain that bad with my first pregnancy but with my second! Let me tell you, it was nothing nice…

I was 32 weeks pregnant and I was doing laundry. I picked up the basket and felt a sharp pain in my lower back, right above my tailbone. Throughout the day I was hurting and when I couldn’t pick up my toddler, I knew I had to do something about it.

Causes of Back Pain During Pregnancy

• Hormone Changes- During pregnancy, your body makes a hormone called Relaxin. It allows ligaments to relax in your pelvic area and joints to become looser to prep the body to give birth. It can also loosen the ligaments that support the spine causing pain and instability.
• Diastasis Recti- As the uterus expands, the two parallel sheets of muscle that run from the ribcage down to the pubic bone can separate causing lack of support which may worsen back pain.
• Stress- Emotional stress may increase during times of pregnancy. It can cause muscles to tense and can lead to back spasms.

Strengthening Exercises for Back Pain

1.) Cat-Cow- This is an amazing Stretch that offers Flexibility for the Spine and Muscles.

Start in a table-top position on your hands and knees. As you inhale and move into a cow pose, lift your hip bones upward, press your chest forward and allow the belly to sink.

Lift your head, relax your shoulders away from your ears, and gaze straight ahead. As you exhale and come into cat pose while rounding your spine outward, tucking your tailbone in, and drawing your pubic bone forward.

2.) Childs Pose- This move helps elongate the spine which helps relieve the pressure on the surrounding nerves causing pain.

Downward on the mat with your hands and knees, spread your knees as wide as the mat, keeping the tops of your feet on the floor with your big toes touching. Bring your belly to rest in between your thighs and rest your forehead to the floor.

Arms straight forward while taking steady inhales and exhales of your breath. Stay in position until you feel a moment of relief.

3.) Seated Tick Tocks- Doing this helps immediately relieve back pain and plays an important role in strengthening and stretching your back muscles.

Sit in a comfortable seated position with your legs crossed. As you lean over to one side with your arms extended overhead, you will be stretching one side of your back while contracting the other side.

Hold that Stretch for just a moment while inhaling a deep breath, and the exhale as you contract the elongated side, return to the center, and stretch to the other side.

4.) Pelvic Tilts- Not only is this exercise good for relieving back pain, but it can also help strengthen your core.

Begin by laying flat on the ground with your arms down by your side. Bend your knees and plant your heels on the the floor close to your booty. Now press into the floor to raise your booty up off the floor, aligning your knees, hips, and shoulders.

Squeeze your butt and back muscles at the top, and then slowly lower back down to the ground.

5.) Arm and Leg Raises- This exercise helps strengthen your back muscles as well as tighten your booty.

Get down on the floor in a tabletop position, hands should be directly under your shoulders and knees aligned with your hips.

Tighten your core and extend one arm forward so that your shoulder is next to your ear. At the same time, straighten your opposite leg completely behind you bringing it to hip height. Return to the starting position and repeat with your opposite arm and leg.

6.) Wall Sits- This move is amazing for stabilizing your abdominal muscles which helps strengthen your back. Also good for tightening your booty.

Start with your back against the wall, with your feet shoulder-width apart and about two feet from the wall. Engage your abdominal muscles and slowly slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground.

Keep your back flat against the wall, and hold the position for 20 seconds and then slowly slide back up to starting position.

7.) Kegals- This amazing exercise you should be performing before, during, and after pregnancy. It helps strengthen your pelvic muscles and keeps you aware of your posture with breathing exercises.

First off you need to identify your pelvic muscles. This is easy… While you are using the washroom, stop peeing midstream. Hold and squeeze. Now you are familiar with your pelvic muscle.

Imagine you are sitting on a marble and tighten your pelvic muscles as if your lifting the marble. Hold for about 5 seconds and release. Continue for about 5 counts and work your way up everyday.

More Tips on Relieving Back Pain

• Aloe Vera Juice- This has a multitude of benefits, one, in fact, reducing inflammation. I took a shot of this every day for 4 days when I had my lower back pain.
• Practice Good Posture- As your belly gets bigger, your center of gravity shifts in which you tend to lean forward. So stand up tall, hold your chest high, and relax your shoulders.
• Use Cold and Hot Compresses- For the first 24 hours of experiencing your back pain, apply an ice pack throughout the day for 15 minutes at a time. Then the next day use a heat compress, the helps the blood flow. Keep on for no longer than 20 minutes during pregnancy.
• Massage- There’s nothing like a good old massage in the sore area to help alleviate the pain.
• Sleep on your Side– With a pillow in between your knees, this helps keep your back aligned while your sleeping.
• Lift with Your Knees-This is the mistake I made while lifting the laundry basket. I didn’t bend down to lift, therefore putting a strain on my lower back. Do not bend at the waist, squat down to lift anything, or ask for help if it’s too heavy.