As a pregnant woman, knowing what type of health practitioner to see when you are experiencing musculoskeletal pain can be overwhelming and confusing.
Understandably one of the major complaints women have during pregnancy is musculoskeletal pain, typically from what we call ?pregnancy posture?. This article will dive into what the common repercussions of pregnancy posture can look like and how chiropractors can help women throughout their pregnancy journey. All Australian Chiropractors are trained to work with pregnant women.
The above diagram depicts a typical case of ?pregnancy posture?, you can see the changes that take place throughout the body and the potential side effects these might have. As mentioned previously there are many hormonal and physical changes you?ll experience during your pregnancy. Some of these will have an impact on your posture and comfort. As your baby becomes heavier, your centre of gravity shifts, and your posture adjusts accordingly. Although most changes are not long term, 9 months is a long time to be experiencing discomfort.
Chiropractic care during a healthy pregnancy is safe and has shown to be effective. As mentioned before chiropractors are trained to treat pregnant women and ensure the treatment is suitable and appropriate for the individual. The focus of the care is to help with the symptoms by addressing the underlying causes such as muscle tightness, weakness or reduced joint motion. The focus is also to educate the patient on how to manage their pain and how they might prevent it. A typical treatment of a pregnant women will include a thorough history and physical exam, the treatment will be tailored to the individual but will usually include gentle soft tissue therapy, stretching, gentle mobilisations, dry needling and advice on preventative measures.
It is common to be experiencing symptoms such as the ones listed above, but there is so much that can be done to help. My goal as a health care practitioner is to help reduce pain and alleviate discomfort throughout a women?s pregnancy.
Taryn Frame has a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Chiropractic. Taryn practices at absolute health solutions in Balgowlah with a special interest in pre and postnatal care and sport injuries.