Pregnancy pain exercising
You want to keep exercising during pregnancy. Maybe you’re walking, going to the gym, doing Pilates, swimming, running, lifting weights or following a pregnancy exercise programme. But suddenly, something that used to feel completely normal doesn't.
Your hips ache during a workout.
Your pelvis feels sore after a walk.
Your lower back hurts when you squat.
Your ribs complain when you breathe deeply.
Your knees feel different.
Or perhaps you get halfway through your usual exercise and think:
“Is this supposed to hurt?”
Pregnancy can change the way your body moves and responds to exercise. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to stop exercising. In fact, staying active during pregnancy can be an important part of looking after your physical and mental wellbeing. But pain is your body's way of giving you information. The trick is understanding what that information means.
I am very pro exercise and returning to exercise is always my goal
When exercise doesn't feel like it used to
One of the hardest things about pregnancy pain when exercising is that you may not feel like yourself. You might have been running for years, lifting weights regularly, attending classes or exercising several times a week.
Now your body has changed, and suddenly:
squats feel uncomfortable
lunges don't feel right
walking hurts
getting on and off the floor is difficult
rolling over after exercise is painful
your hips ache afterwards
your pelvis feels heavy or sore
your lower back tightens
you can't comfortably do movements you previously enjoyed
It can be frustrating. And you may start wondering whether you should stop exercising altogether. Usually, it isn't quite that simple. Sometimes your exercise needs modifying rather than stopping.
Why can exercise hurt during pregnancy?
Your body is adapting throughout pregnancy. Your centre of gravity changes as your bump grows. Your pelvis, hips and spine are dealing with different loads. Your abdominal muscles are stretching, your ribcage changes and your breathing mechanics adapt. Your joints and muscles are also responding to the increased demands of carrying your growing baby. This means an exercise that felt completely comfortable before pregnancy may now place a different load through your body. You may also be doing the same exercise with a different range of movement, different balance or different muscle recruitment.
Pain can occur almost anywhere
Pregnancy exercise pain isn't limited to the lower back.
You may experience discomfort in:
Pelvis and pubic bone - Squats, lunges, walking, getting in and out of positions or separating your legs can sometimes aggravate pelvic or pubic pain. This may occur with pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or SPD.
SI joints and buttocks - You may feel an ache on one or both sides at the back of your pelvis, particularly during single-leg exercises, walking or movements that require you to shift your weight from one leg to another.
Hips -Hip pain during pregnancy can appear during exercise, afterwards or even later that evening. You may notice discomfort with squats, lunges, side-lying exercises or walking.
Groin and inner thighs - The muscles and tissues around your pelvis are working differently during pregnancy. Stretching, stepping sideways or moving your legs apart may cause pulling or aching through the groin or inner thigh.
Lower back - Pregnancy back pain can be aggravated by exercises involving bending, lifting, extending or loading the spine. Your lower back may also become tired more quickly as your posture and centre of gravity change.
Thighs and knees - Changes in how you load your legs can affect your knees and thighs. If you are unconsciously avoiding putting weight through one side of your pelvis, the other leg may end up doing more work.
Calves, ankles and feet - Your changing body weight and movement pattern can increase the demands on your lower legs and feet. You may notice tight calves, aching ankles or sore feet during or after exercise.
Ribs and upper back - As your ribcage adapts during pregnancy, you may experience rib pain or upper-back discomfort, particularly with exercises involving rotation, reaching or deeper breathing.
Neck and shoulders - Tension through your neck and shoulders can increase if your posture changes or if you are compensating elsewhere in your body during exercise.
So if you've been thinking, “Why does exercise suddenly make everything hurt?” — you're not imagining it. Your body really is working differently.
But should exercise hurt?
Good pain vs bad pain
This is where things can get confusing. Pregnancy can make some movements feel harder, heavier or different. That doesn't mean every ache or pain is something you should push through. A little muscle fatigue after exercise is one thing. Pain that is sharp, increasing, persistent or changing the way you move is different. If a particular exercise repeatedly causes pelvic pain, hip pain, back pain or another symptom, don't assume you simply need to get stronger or push through it.
Instead, ask:
What is this exercise asking my body to do right now?
And:
Can I change the movement so that it feels more comfortable?
What can I do if exercise hurts?
1. Don't automatically stop everything
If one movement hurts, it doesn't mean you have to stop being active. There may be another version of the exercise that your body tolerates much better.
For example, you might change:
the range of movement
the amount of weight
the number of repetitions
your stance
how much impact is involved
how quickly you move
whether you are standing, sitting or supported
the amount of single-leg loading
Pregnancy exercise should be adaptable.
2. Pay attention to patterns
Notice when the pain occurs.
Does it happen:
during the exercise?
immediately afterwards?
later that evening?
the following morning?
only on one side?
when you take a wide stance?
when standing on one leg?
when walking afterwards?
This information can be extremely useful. Sometimes an exercise feels fine while you're doing it but leaves you sore for the next 24 hours. That is still worth paying attention to.
3. Don't chase the old version of your body
This can be particularly difficult if you've always been active.
You may be thinking:
“I could do this easily before I was pregnant.”
Of course you could.
But you're not exercising in the same body anymore. Pregnancy is not a fitness failure, and modifying your exercise isn't “giving up”. Your goal is to keep moving in a way that is appropriate for your body, your pregnancy and your symptoms right now.
4. Get help if you're unsure
If you're avoiding exercise because you're worried about causing damage, or you're becoming increasingly restricted because movement hurts, it's worth getting individual advice. A pregnancy osteopath, pelvic health physiotherapist, midwife or other appropriate healthcare professional can help you understand what may be contributing to your symptoms.
Is exercise pain during pregnancy normal?
Some discomfort is common. Significant or persistent pain shouldn't simply be dismissed as “normal pregnancy”. There is a big difference between your body feeling challenged by exercise and your body telling you that a particular movement isn't working well for you at the moment.
If you're experiencing pain that:
stops you exercising
changes the way you walk
makes stairs difficult
makes getting dressed difficult
affects your sleep
continues long after exercise
is getting progressively worse
is affecting your everyday activities
then it deserves attention. And you don't have to wait until after your baby is born to address it.
How can osteopathy help with pregnancy exercise pain?
If you come to see me because exercise is becoming uncomfortable, I don't want to simply tell you to stop exercising. I'd much rather understand what is happening. An osteopathic assessment looks at how your body is moving as a whole. We can look at your pelvis, hips, lower back, spine and the surrounding muscles and joints, as well as the movement that is causing your symptoms. Treatment can be adapted to your stage of pregnancy and may include soft tissue techniques, joint mobilisation or articulation, stretching and manipulation where appropriate. The aim is to help reduce areas of tension or restriction and improve how your body is moving and coping with load. We can also talk about how you are exercising, not just where it hurts. Sometimes a small change to technique, positioning, load or movement can make a surprisingly big difference. And importantly, treatment can support you to keep exercising where appropriate, rather than automatically telling you to stop.
You don't have to choose between pregnancy and exercise
One of the things I hear from pregnant women is that they feel caught between two choices:
“If it hurts, I should stop.”
or
“I should just push through it.”
There is often a middle ground. You can continue to move, exercise and stay strong while adapting to what your body needs during pregnancy. Your exercise may look different at 20 weeks than it did at 10 weeks. And different again at 30 or 35 weeks. That's okay. Pregnancy is not a time when your body needs to perform exactly as it did before. It's a time when your body is changing — and your movement can change with it.
Pregnancy osteopathy in Milford, Auckland
If pregnancy pain is stopping you from exercising, or you're unsure whether a particular movement is appropriate for your symptoms, I'd be happy to help. I work with pregnant women experiencing pelvic pain, SPD/PGP, hip pain, SIJ pain, lower back pain, groin pain, rib pain and other pregnancy-related aches and pains. You don't need to wait until you're no longer able to exercise. Sometimes understanding why something hurts and making a few appropriate changes can help you feel much more confident about moving again.
Book an appointment with Sarah Boughtwood Osteopath in Milford, Auckland, and let's work out what your body needs at this stage of your pregnancy.