Pre- and Post-natal Osteopathy

Pregnancy is a time of rapid changes and can be very challenging for the muscles, joints and organs of the future mother. Women often experience pains and aches and various other symptoms while the baby is growing. Osteopathy can help manage complaints and help prevent more serious conditions like pubic symphysis dysfunction from developing. Furthermore, once the tight muscles are relaxed, the joints can move as free as possible and the pelvis is balanced – delivery is much easier, both for mother and baby.

How your body changes during pregnancy?

In the first trimester, there is an initial backward rotation of the pelvis, as the uterus starts to enlarge. The weight of the uterus is falling on the bladder and there is also some tension in the small intestine. The pelvis starts to tilt forward in the second semester. With the uterus growing, the abdominal wall is stretching to allow the expansion.

The abdominal organs, pushed by the uterus, start moving upwards. Once the stomach, liver, small and parts of the large intestine are pushed up against the diaphragm, the digestive and respiratory system are gradually compromised.

As the breasts are enlarging, the middle of the back and the neck are pulled forward. In the end of the second trimester, the pressure on the abdominal muscles and stomach is increased even further. As good abdominal tone is crucial for a balanced spinal support, the abdominal laxity creates tension on the lower back.

In the third trimester the curve of the lower back becomes very deep and the diaphragm and organs below it get pushed up towards the rib cage. This in turn compromises the lungs and diaphragm, resulting in shallow breathing and shortness of breath. Tension in the diaphragm and compression of the stomach often leads to indigestion and reflux.

The legs also need to adapt to the changes occurring in the spine, abdomen and pelvis. The hips rotate externally, taking a wider stance and the foot is placed on the outer side when walking.

Developing complaints and aches

With these changes are taking place all the joints, ligaments and muscles of your body need to be able to adapt. However, if there are areas of pre-existing torsions, tightness and reduced mobility, the pregnancy can become very uncomfortable.

Back pain

Back pain often occurs, sometimes as early as the first trimester. Mainly, this is due to the mechanical changes – tipping of the pelvis, changing of the lumbar curves, and stretching of the abdomen, but also due to the attachment of the uterus to sacrum. Even when the uterus is in its early stages of growing, tension in the ligaments attaching to the sacrum can cause lower back pain.

Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction

Due to the ligamentous laxity and the changes occurring in the pelvis, the pubic symphysis is under great demand and often becomes symptomatic. The stretched ligaments and pressure from within result in joint strain and pain when walking and bending. This is often exaggerated if there is an underlying pelvic torsion.

Pelvic girdle pain

Pelvic pain can be also due to other reasons. For, example if the hip cannot externally rotate with the widening of the pelvis, this can cause a strain on the hip and sacroiliac joints. Other times, the foot arches are flattened and don’t provide enough shock absorption, so then the sacroiliac joint and spine can suffer.

If the pelvic floor muscles are too tight or in torsion, this can also contribute to sacroiliac, pubic or lower back pain. Pelvic floor muscles attach to the coccyx and if there is increased or uneven pulling, coccygeal pain can occur, sometimes together with altered circulation to the rectum and even haemorrhoids.

Sciatica

There are several factors can contribute to developing sciatica during pregnancy. The sciatic nerve can get directly compressed within its course in the pelvis, or can be trapped in the piriformis muscle, which tends to tighten during pregnancy.

When tension in the pelvis, hips, back and chest are released, also the strains on the uterus are released, providing for an easier pregnancy and delivery.

Tingling in the hands

Fluid retention during pregnancy often leads to carpal tunnel syndrome – experienced as pins and needles in the hands. This can also be caused be the reduced spaces in the neck and around the chest, causing the nerves supplying the hands to be irritated.

How Osteopathy can help you?

Seeing an osteopath during your pregnancy is advisable, even if you don’t have any pain or discomfort. All the changes in your body, described above, occur in a very fast speed and having a ‘maintenance’ treatment can help for a smoother transition.

If you are experiencing any complains, there is a lot that osteopathy can do for you.

Working on your chest, ribs and diaphragm will release some of the tension caused by the push from below, allowing you to breathe easier.

Relaxing your neck and shoulders will help relieve the tension caused from the uterus and enlarged breasts, all weighting on your front.

Releasing the tight joints will help you move easily and pain free, but also prepare the spine and pelvis for the exaggeration of the curves, and widening of the pelvic girdle.

Osteopathy considers not just the biomechanical strain on the back and the limbs, but also internal structures. If there is a pre-existing mechanical torsion, this can cause the uterus to expand unevenly, due to the attachments of the ligaments. Thus, addressing your pelvis mechanics and releasing the pelvic floor muscles will help with symmetry and ease.

After giving birth, the body reverses all the changes even quicker. Sometimes, however, not everything goes back to place and your osteopath can help with that. Encouraging your spine’s curves to elongate back again, can help with remaining back pain and neck tension. Normalizing the pelvic symmetry after the pregnancy is crucial, as babies usually weight on one side predominantly. Also, during natural delivery the sacrum gets pulled down, and sometimes can remain stuck. As the sacrum is an attachment point of the dural membranes, this can result in strain of the membranes around the spinal cord. Addressing the tight musculature can help your body feel free and flexible. And having some personalized exercises can speed up toning muscles that were overstretched during pregnancy.

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