Physical therapy during pregnancy is focused on supporting the pregnant person's body. Trained physical therapists understand how each phase of pregnancy impacts the body; they are prepared to offer guidance, exercises and strategies to help reduce your pain, maintain your level of function and exercise, and prepare you and your body for labor and delivery.

The weight of a growing belly and breasts pull the abdomen forward, causing a larger curve in the low back. This shift forces the muscles of the core and back to work harder to maintain balance and posture. If the core is weakened, then muscles in the back can over-activate or spasm, causing pain.

Physical therapists are experts of the musculoskeletal system. They are able to treat your back pain comprehensively with manual therapy techniques, a personalized exercise program, and guidance for improved movement strategies. In some cases, they may recommend the use of a belt or brace for additional support, particularly as your belly continues to grow during pregnancy.

Yes, very common. During pregnancy the pelvic joints typically become loose with hormonal changes and widen with the weight of a growing baby, often the muscles will become overworked trying to compensate for these shifts. It is common for this change in shape, reduced stability and tight muscles to lead to pelvic pain.

In pregnancy, the ribs flare upward and outward to make space for a growing baby. Depending on the size of a pregnant person's torso and the size or position of their baby, this change in rib position may become even more exaggerated and lead to pain, often on just one side of the body, that is made worse by sitting, coughing or eating.

Hip pain typically occurs when certain movements or positions put too much strain or pressure on the muscles, joints or ligaments of the hip. As pregnancy changes the shape of the pelvis, the muscles that attach to the hip are moved, stretched, and asked to support increasingly more weight as your baby grows. This is a common source of pain.

During pregnancy, the breasts grow larger and heavier. This forces the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back to work harder to maintain proper posture and keep good head and neck alignment. As muscles fatigue, this can lead to slouching. Postural changes and overworked muscles lead to neck and shoulder pain.

In pregnancy, as the center of gravity shifts and our breasts grow, the upper back must work hard to maintain proper head and neck alignment. A physical therapist can provide manual therapy and exercise protocols to help relieve pain and they can give guidance for sitting, sleeping, driving, working, lifting, and carrying strategies to prevent pain from coming back.

During pregnancy, the hormones that loosen your pelvic joints to prepare for childbirth also destabilize your tailbone, increased body weight during pregnancy puts more load through the tailbone especially with sitting, and the muscles that attach to the coccyx can tense up. The combination of these factors can lead to tailbone pain.

A growing baby will place increased stress on a pregnant person's body. This can lead to changes in joint stability, muscle function and postural awareness; pain is a common complaint in pregnancy for these reasons. But common does not mean normal. Working with a trained physical therapist can help reduce pain as pregnancy progresses and prepare your body for delivery.