1 in 5 women (20%) will experience pain during pregnancy. During pregnancy, increases of specific hormones are released (oxytocin and relaxin), which soften all our soft tissues ligaments and tendons. This allows our back and pelvis to adjust accordingly ready to carry a growing baby! During this process, women are more prone to soft tissue injuries as our joints have less stability and also more prone to developing pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain / low back pain. Areas where pain can be reported are as follows:

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• Pain around your lower back / pelvis / coccyx

• Pain around your hips ( front, back, side)

• Pain in between your legs at your pubis bone

• Pain radiating down your legs ( front or back)

• It might be that you are pain free when you are up and moving around, but in agony by the end of the day

• Pain can be one sided, or both sided and then can suddenly change from one side to the other

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Aggravating factors which reproduce increase pain:

• Pain standing on one leg ( getting in or out of a car, getting dressed, stairs)

• Lifting one leg hurts more than lifting the other.

• General weight baring (walking)

• Prolonged sitting to standing

• Prolonged positions ( standing/ sitting for too long)

• Turning over in bed

• Side lying

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If you suspect you may have pelvic girdle or low back pain, please don’t suffer in silence or think it is ‘a normal symptom of pregnancy’! Physiotherapy is evidence-based for easing your symptoms leaving you to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!

Treatments include:

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• 1-2-1 consultation

• Information and Advice on lifestyle adaptions

• Assessment of your back and pelvis

• Manual therapy  (including: Joint mobilisation and trigger point release)

• Acupuncture for pain relief

• Soft tissue massage

• Kineso Taping

• Advice/ issuing of pregnancy support belts and tube-grips.