6 Bad Habits Pregnant Women Make That May Cause Back Problems
Is a pain in your back causing you trouble? Are you looking for ways to find relief from your back problems? Do you know some common mistakes done during pregnancy may be responsible for causing you back problems? Here are a few of them.
1. Lack of Exercise
Pregnant woman holding her back, Credits: pixabay
Being pregnant doesn’t mean you should sit and take rest all the time. Remaining physically active during pregnancy, not only promotes the growth of your fetus but also boosts blood circulation throughout your body and keeps you away from all ailments.
Lack of exercise during pregnancy causes muscle tension- a condition in which muscles remain in a semi-contracted state for an extended period of time. Muscle tension may result in muscle spasms and muscle pain due to lactic acid build-up. This is one of the major causes of back and neck pain during pregnancy.
The best exercise to release muscle tension in a pregnant woman includes swimming.
Swimming allows your muscles with greater access to oxygen-rich blood and thus relieves tension in your muscles.
2. Sleeping in the Wrong Position
Pregnant woman sleeping, Credits: pixabay
Every pregnant woman is advised to sleep on their side, especially on their left side. This position helps promote blood flow throughout the body, releases any congestion in the muscles and also helps you sleep better. To support your spine, you can keep your legs and knees bent with a pillow to support, in between your legs. All these days if you have been sleeping in a wrong position then it’s time to set yourself into the right sleeping position and find relief from your backache.
Support your back with pillows while sleeping. Also, use a firm mattress that can prevent and relieve backaches.
3. Walking or Standing for Long Periods
Stressed Pregnant woman, Credits: pixabay
Walking or standing for long periods and carrying weights on your shoulder during pregnancy may lead to lower back pain. This occurs due to the inflammation in the facet joints and discs of the spine.
Also, the centre of gravity shifts upward during pregnancy to support the weight of the growing fetus. This makes your lower back naturally begin to curve inwards, causing you back pain. Standing for long periods may also cause swelling and pain in your ankles and calf muscles.
A maternity belt can help you hold up your belly and take the pressure away from your back. Avoid standing for too long in the same position, either take a walk or rest your legs for short intervals. Focus on your posture and stand tall and straight.
4. Stress
Stressed Pregnant woman, Credits: pixabay
Anxiety and stress may be common for a new mom-to-be, but too much of it may hurt your back for sure. Anxiety and stress trigger the release of cortisol hormones which are responsible to cause inflammation and pain in the body. This, in turn, leads to muscle tightening and tension in your back muscles.
Try breathing exercises or Pranayama and meditation to regulate your anxiety and stress levels. It increases your pain tolerance level, helps manage back pain during pregnancy while keeping your mind and body calm.
5. Wearing High Heels
Heels in Pregnancy, Credits: pixabay
Flaunting your baby bump makes you look beautiful and not your high heels! Wearing high heels may arch your spines more than what’s normal and put excess pressure on pelvic and back joints. This is because the body weight in pregnancy is pushed forward due to the growth of your baby.
The higher your heels are, the more back pain you will observe due to more arch in your back. While wearing a high heel for an hour or two may not cause you back problems. But, spending hours in this unnatural alignment can lead to muscle spasms and back pain during pregnancy.
Go for soft and comfortable shoes or flats which do not put any strain on your back and your calf muscles.
6. Not Eating Enough Fibre
Pregnant woman eating, Credits: pixabay
Pregnancy demands a higher calorie intake! Higher calorie intake means taking foods that are healthy and rich in fibres, probiotics, nutrients and minerals. Constipation during pregnancy may result either due to hormonal changes and pressure from the uterus, but what you are eating in your daily diet may also contribute to constipation. A lack of fibre in the diet and pregnancy are two causes of constipation.
It is normal to experience constipation once in a while, but if it’s a regular occurrence, then you may experience lower back pain. Constipation during pregnancy may cause you to strain which puts pressure on the back and on the discs of your spine resulting in back pain.
Eat fibre rich diets, probiotics, and do some physical exercise to help in your backache.
Pregnancy is considered to be the most beautiful phase in a woman’s life. There are many do’s and don’ts to be followed during pregnancy that may not always be possible for every woman to get them all right. In such a case, continuous support from a family member and spouse during pregnancy benefits both the mother and the baby.
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