Pregnancy Pain Going Up Stairs: When Every Step Starts to Feel Like Hard Work

There is something particularly frustrating about stairs when you're pregnant.

You know exactly how many steps there are.

You know which ones you're going to have to stop on.

And you may have started planning your day around avoiding them.

The stairs at home.
The stairs at work.
The stairs at the shops.
The stairs to the bedroom.

Perhaps you used to walk up them without giving them a second thought.

Now you're holding onto the railing, taking one step at a time and wondering why going up stairs hurts during pregnancy.

Maybe it's your pelvis. Maybe your hip. Maybe your lower back or knee.

Or perhaps by the time you reach the top, your whole body feels like it has done a workout.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.

Why are stairs so much harder during pregnancy?

Going upstairs asks quite a lot from your body.

With every step, you need to lift your body weight, balance on one leg, bend and straighten your hip and knee, stabilise your pelvis and push yourself upwards.

And as your pregnancy progresses, your body is changing at the same time.

Your growing bump changes your centre of gravity. Your posture adapts. Your hips and pelvis are working differently, and your muscles are having to respond to a changing load.

For some women, that combination can make stairs particularly uncomfortable.

Stairs can expose movements that might feel fine on flat ground.

You may be able to walk around the house without much trouble, but notice pain as soon as you have to lift one leg onto a step.

That's useful information — and something worth paying attention to.

What can hurt when you're climbing stairs?

Your pelvis

Pelvic pain when climbing stairs during pregnancy is one of the most common complaints.

You might feel pain at the front of your pelvis around the pubic bone, through the back of your pelvis or into your buttocks.

It may feel like an ache, pulling sensation, pressure or sharper pain.

Going upstairs involves repeatedly loading one leg and then the other, which can be uncomfortable if you're experiencing pelvic girdle pain (PGP).

The pubic bone

If you're experiencing SPD in pregnancy, stairs can be particularly challenging.

You may notice pain around the pubic bone when:

• Lifting one leg onto a step

• Taking larger steps

• Putting your weight through one leg

• Moving quickly up the stairs

• Turning at the top or bottom of the stairs

You may find yourself automatically taking smaller steps because it feels more comfortable.

That's your body adapting to a movement that currently doesn't feel great.

Your hips

Your hips do a lot of work when you climb stairs.

Hip pain during pregnancy may be felt at the front of the hip, around the side of the hip, through the groin or into the buttock.

You may notice it particularly when lifting your knee up onto the next step.

Some women also experience a deep ache in the hip after repeated trips up and down stairs.

Your lower back

Your lower back can also become involved.

As your bump grows, your posture and movement patterns naturally change.

If you're already experiencing pregnancy lower back pain, climbing stairs may increase the load through your back and pelvis.

You might notice an ache developing after several flights or feel uncomfortable when you straighten up at the top.

Your sacroiliac joints

The sacroiliac joints (SIJ) are located at the back of your pelvis.

SIJ pain during pregnancy may be felt around one side of your lower back or buttock.

Stairs can aggravate this area because of the repeated weight transfer from one leg to the other.

Your buttocks

Your gluteal muscles are important for pushing you upwards.

If your pelvis and hips aren't moving comfortably, your buttocks may start doing more work.

This can lead to muscular aching or tightness, particularly after repeatedly climbing stairs.

Your groin

The combination of lifting your leg and pushing upwards can make groin pain during pregnancy noticeable.

You may feel a pulling or stretching sensation at the front of your hip or inner thigh.

Your thighs

Your quadriceps, hamstrings and inner thigh muscles are all working as you climb.

Pregnancy can change how these muscles are being loaded, which may lead to tiredness, tightness or aching through your thighs.

Your knees

Your knees don't escape either.

Knee pain during pregnancy may become more noticeable when climbing stairs because you're repeatedly bending and straightening the knee while supporting your body weight.

You might feel pain around the front of the knee or notice discomfort when pushing yourself upwards.

Your calves and ankles

Your lower legs are working to stabilise and propel you up each step.

Calf tightness, ankle stiffness or general leg fatigue can make stairs feel harder, particularly later in pregnancy.

Your feet

And don't forget your feet.

Your feet are your foundation, and they have to cope with the changing demands of pregnancy every time you take a step.

You may experience:

• Sore heels

• Aching arches

• Tired feet

• Foot pain

• Ankle discomfort

• General soreness after being on your feet

Sometimes the discomfort you notice further up the body can also be influenced by how your feet are coping with the increased demands of pregnancy.

"I can walk — so why can't I manage the stairs?"

This is a really common question.

And it makes sense.

Walking on a flat surface is not the same movement as climbing stairs.

When you're walking on flat ground, your legs are moving forwards in a relatively predictable pattern.

Stairs require you to repeatedly lift your body upwards while balancing on one leg.

That means more work for your hips, knees, pelvis and muscles around your trunk.

So if you're thinking:

"I can walk around the supermarket, but I can't get up the stairs without pain."

That doesn't mean you're imagining your symptoms.

Different movements place different demands on your body.

A few ways to make stairs more comfortable

If stairs are aggravating your pregnancy pain, you don't necessarily need to avoid them completely.

A few small changes may help.

Take smaller steps

You don't have to climb stairs two at a time — despite what your pre-pregnancy self may have done!

Smaller, more controlled steps can reduce how far you need to lift your leg.

Use the handrail

There's nothing wrong with giving your body a little extra support.

Using the handrail can help with balance and may reduce the amount of work your legs and pelvis need to do.

Slow down

If you're rushing upstairs while carrying bags, answering your phone and thinking about everything else you need to do that day, your body may not have much opportunity to move comfortably.

Slow it down.

Pay attention to your symptoms

Notice which part of the movement hurts.

Is it lifting your leg?

Pushing through the step?

Taking your weight onto one side?

The information you get from your symptoms can be really useful when working out how to manage them.

How can an osteopath help?

When you see an osteopath for pregnancy pain, I don't just want to know that stairs hurt.

I want to know what happens when you climb them.

Where does it hurt?

When does it start?

Is one side worse?

Does it settle when you stop?

Are other movements difficult too?

Does it affect walking, getting dressed, getting out of the car, exercising or sleeping?

These details help build a picture of what your body is experiencing.

I'll assess your movement and, where appropriate, look at how your pelvis, hips, spine, legs and feet are working together.

Your treatment may include:

• Soft tissue techniques

• Joint mobilisation and articulation

• Muscle stretching

• Joint manipulation where appropriate

• Movement advice

• Exercises

• Practical strategies for managing activities that currently aggravate your pain

The treatment is adapted to your pregnancy, your symptoms and your individual needs.

It's not about "fixing" your pregnancy body

Pregnancy isn't something that needs to be corrected.

Your body is doing something extraordinary.

But sometimes the way your body is adapting can leave certain areas working harder than others or make particular movements uncomfortable.

Osteopathic treatment aims to support you through those changes.

The goal is not necessarily to eliminate every ache of pregnancy.

It's to help you understand your symptoms, move as comfortably as possible and continue doing the things that matter to you.

That might be getting upstairs at home.

Getting around work.

Picking up your children.

Going for a walk.

Continuing to exercise.

Or simply reaching the top of the stairs without having to brace yourself for the pain.

You don't have to wait until you're struggling

If you're starting to avoid stairs because they hurt, it's worth getting some advice.

You don't have to wait until you are limping.

You don't have to wait until you can barely walk.

And you certainly don't have to feel that "it's just because I'm pregnant" means there is nothing that can be done.

Pregnancy aches and pains are common, but persistent pain that is affecting your everyday life deserves attention.

As a pregnancy osteopath in Milford, Auckland, I see women with a wide range of pregnancy-related aches and pains, including pelvic girdle pain, SPD, pubic pain, hip pain, SIJ pain, lower back pain, groin pain, knee pain and leg pain.

We'll take the time to understand what's happening and work out how osteopathic treatment and practical advice may help.

Your stairs aren't going anywhere.

But hopefully, with the right support, they don't have to be something you dread either.

If pregnancy pain is making stairs, walking, getting dressed, getting in and out of the car or everyday activities harder, book an appointment with Sarah Boughtwood Osteopath in Milford, Auckland.