Back Pain During Pregnancy – Osteopathy
Pregnancy puts an enormous amount of strain upon a woman's body. To be sure, bearing life is no easy task! The average amount of weight gain put on during pregnancy is fourteen kilos and those fourteen (or more!) kilos can put a lot of strain upon a woman's spine and back muscles. A great deal of pregnant women living in the United Kingdom have found that the advice given to them by osteopathic practitioners is the easiest to follow and helps to relieve the back stress a great deal. This article explains some tips given to pregnant women by osteopaths:
1. Do not get talked out of exercising! The only reason to give up exercise while you are pregnant is if your doctor makes you take some time for bed rest. With just a few adjustments to the intensity of your workout, you should be able to follow your regular exercise schedule without too much difficulty. You probably won't be able to exercise with the same intensity, but some exercise is better than none! You will want to do exercises that help you control your heart rate. Going over 145 bpm is dangerous. Exercises to build up your core and your strength are the best exercises you can do. Swimming is an especially enjoyable way to have a full body workout when you are pregnant.
2. Some osteopaths will advocate that a pregnant woman get regular relaxing massages to help soothe the tension that can build up in her back muscles and along her spine. Carrying around an extra person puts quite a bit of physical strain on the body. The emotional weight that one bears while they adjust to becoming parents can also take a physical toll on the muscles and spine, so an osteopath will work on helping a pregnant woman find ways to naturally ease her tension.
3. An Osteopath will work with you to figure out a well rounded and nutritious diet that will keep you and your baby nourished properly. The "do not eat" list of food for pregnant women gets longer and longer every day but your osteopath will help decide upon a sensible diet that does not force you to eat food that is harmful to your baby. Eating a nutritionally balanced diet while you are pregnant will ensure that your body and your baby's body are as healthy as they can be.
Pregnant women often prefer Osteopaths because they work with an entire person instead of simply treating obvious symptoms. Treating a woman's whole body often puts a pregnant woman's mind at ease.
About the Author:
Andrew Mitchell, clinical editor at the Osteopaths Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions, drug-free treatment, pain management and how to find a Ilford osteopath. He is interested in the treatment of back pain, neck pain and injury and pain management.