Pregnancy Pain When Walking: When Something You Do Every Day Starts to Hurt
Walking is one of those things you don't usually have to think about.
You get up and walk to the kitchen.
You walk to the car.
You walk around the shops.
You walk the dog.
You walk your children to school.
You go for a walk because you want to stay active during pregnancy.
Then, somewhere along the way, walking starts to hurt.
Maybe it's your pelvis.
Maybe your hips ache after ten minutes.
Perhaps your lower back starts hurting as soon as you pick up the pace.
Or your feet and ankles are suddenly sore by the end of the day.
You might find yourself slowing down, taking smaller steps or avoiding walks altogether because you know you're going to pay for it afterwards.
If walking has become uncomfortable during pregnancy, you're not alone.
And while your body is going through enormous changes, you don't necessarily have to accept pain as something you simply have to live with for the next few months.
Where can pregnancy pain occur when walking?
One of the reasons pregnancy pain can be so frustrating is that it isn't always in one obvious place.
Walking involves your entire body working together, so discomfort can occur in many different areas.
Pelvic pain
Pelvic pain when walking during pregnancy is common, particularly as pregnancy progresses.
You may notice aching, pulling, pressure or sharper pain around your pelvis.
It may be felt at the front around the pubic bone, through the back of the pelvis or more on one side.
Walking can be particularly uncomfortable if you're experiencing pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction).
You may find that your walking becomes slower or that you naturally take smaller steps.
Pubic bone pain
Pain around the pubic bone can make every step feel noticeable.
You might experience pain when walking, turning, getting out of the car, climbing stairs or moving one leg at a time.
Some women describe it as aching or tenderness, while others experience sharper pain with certain movements.
If you're experiencing SPD in pregnancy, walking can become one of the activities you most want to avoid.
Hip pain
Pregnancy hip pain when walking can be felt at the side of the hip, deep within the joint, around the buttock or towards the groin.
You may notice that your hips become sore after walking for a while, particularly if you're walking uphill, carrying something or trying to walk at your usual pace.
Hip pain can also be associated with changes in the way you move as your pregnancy progresses.
Lower back pain
Lower back pain during pregnancy is incredibly common.
You may feel an ache across your lower back when walking, or notice that your back becomes increasingly uncomfortable the longer you are on your feet.
Sometimes your lower back pain may be accompanied by discomfort through your pelvis, buttocks or hips.
You may also find that standing and walking for long periods is more difficult than sitting down.
Sacroiliac joint pain
The sacroiliac joints, or SIJ, sit at the back of your pelvis where your spine meets your pelvis.
Pregnancy-related SIJ pain may be felt on one side or both sides around the dimples of your lower back, buttock or pelvis.
Walking, stairs, getting out of a chair or turning in bed may aggravate your symptoms.
Buttock and gluteal pain
Pain isn't always felt directly in the spine or pelvis.
You may experience a deep ache through one or both buttocks when walking.
Your gluteal muscles work hard to stabilise your pelvis as you move, and changes in your walking pattern during pregnancy can alter how these muscles are being loaded.
Groin pain
Groin pain during pregnancy can make walking uncomfortable, particularly when taking longer strides or moving your legs in different directions.
Some women describe a pulling sensation, while others notice a sharper or more localised pain.
Groin discomfort can occur alongside pelvic or hip pain.
Thigh pain
You may also notice aching through the front, back or inside of your thighs.
Sometimes this is simply muscular fatigue. In other cases, discomfort may be related to how your pelvis, hips and lower back are moving.
If thigh pain is persistent, severe or associated with other symptoms, it is important to have it assessed appropriately.
Knee pain
Your knees can also feel different during pregnancy.
Changes in your posture, body weight, activity levels and the way your hips and feet move can alter the forces going through your knees.
You may notice knee pain when walking, climbing stairs or standing up from a chair.
Calf and leg pain
Pregnancy can bring changes to your legs too.
You may experience muscular aching or tiredness through your calves and legs, particularly after spending more time on your feet.
However, new or significant calf pain, especially if accompanied by swelling, warmth, redness or shortness of breath, should be assessed urgently rather than assumed to be a normal pregnancy ache.
Ankle pain
Your ankles have to adapt to carrying a changing body and managing your balance as pregnancy progresses.
You may notice ankle stiffness, aching or discomfort when walking, particularly after longer periods on your feet.
Foot pain
And then there are your feet.
Your feet carry you through every step of pregnancy, so it isn't surprising that they can become tired and sore.
You may experience:
Aching arches
Heel pain
Sore soles
General foot fatigue
Pain around the toes or forefoot
Ankle and foot discomfort after walking
If you're spending more time walking or standing, your feet may be the first place you notice the difference.
And sometimes it's not just your legs
Pregnancy can affect how your whole body moves.
As your bump grows, your posture and centre of gravity change.
You may find yourself holding your upper body differently or changing the way you swing your arms.
This can contribute to upper back, rib, shoulder or neck discomfort, particularly if you're already carrying tension.
So although you might think of walking as something that only involves your legs, it is actually a whole-body movement.
Your feet, ankles, knees, hips, pelvis, spine and upper body all have to work together.
When walking becomes something you start avoiding
Perhaps you used to enjoy walking.
Now you're constantly calculating how far you can go.
"Will my pelvis hurt if I walk around the shops?"
"How far can I walk before my back starts aching?"
"Why am I limping by the end of the day?"
"Will I be sore tonight if I go for a walk?"
Or maybe you've stopped walking altogether because it simply isn't enjoyable anymore.
That can be particularly frustrating if you've been told that staying active during pregnancy is beneficial.
You want to keep moving — your body just isn't making it easy.
That's where getting individual advice can be helpful.
How can osteopathy help pregnancy pain when walking?
There isn't one treatment that is right for every pregnant woman with walking pain.
That's why an osteopathic appointment starts with understanding you and your symptoms.
We'll discuss where you hurt, when it happens, what makes it better or worse and how it is affecting your everyday activities.
I'll assess how your body is moving, looking at areas such as your pelvis, hips, spine, legs and feet, as appropriate.
Treatment may include:
Soft tissue techniques
Joint mobilisation and articulation
Muscle stretching
Joint manipulation where appropriate
Movement advice
Exercises and strengthening strategies
Practical advice to help you manage everyday activities
The aim is to improve how comfortably your body can move and help you understand how to manage your symptoms.
Importantly, treatment isn't about telling you to stop moving.
It's about helping you find ways to keep moving that work for your body right now.
You don't have to give up walking
If walking is painful, you may need to change how you're doing it for a while.
That might mean shorter walks, more frequent breaks, choosing flatter routes or reducing activities that consistently aggravate your symptoms.
It doesn't necessarily mean stopping altogether.
Your activity needs can also change throughout pregnancy.
What feels comfortable at 20 weeks may feel completely different at 32 weeks — and that's okay.
Your body isn't failing you.
It's adapting.
The goal is to work with those changes rather than constantly fighting against them.
When should pregnancy walking pain be checked?
It is worth getting your pain assessed if walking is:
Becoming increasingly uncomfortable
Causing pelvic or pubic bone pain
Making you limp or change your walking pattern
Causing significant hip or lower back pain
Limiting how far you can walk
Preventing you from exercising or doing normal activities
Making stairs difficult
Causing pain that continues after you've stopped walking
Making you worried about moving during pregnancy
You don't have to wait until the pain is severe.
Sometimes understanding what's contributing to your symptoms and making a few changes can make everyday movement feel much more manageable.
Your pregnancy body deserves support
Pregnancy asks an enormous amount of your body.
You're growing a baby, your posture is changing, your joints and muscles are adapting and you're still expected to carry on with everyday life.
Work.
Family.
Exercise.
Shopping.
School runs.
Walking.
Sometimes the most frustrating part isn't the pain itself — it's the feeling that something you used to do without thinking has suddenly become difficult.
If walking hurts during pregnancy, you're not alone, and you don't have to simply put up with it.
As a pregnancy osteopath in Milford, Auckland, I regularly see women experiencing pelvic pain, pelvic girdle pain, SPD, hip pain, SIJ pain, lower back pain and other pregnancy aches and pains.
We'll look at the bigger picture and work out what may be contributing to your symptoms, with treatment and practical advice tailored to your stage of pregnancy and your everyday life.
Because sometimes the goal is simply to be able to go for a walk without wondering how sore you're going to be afterwards.
If pregnancy pain is making walking, exercising, working or getting through your normal day harder than it should be, book an appointment with Sarah Boughtwood Osteopath in Milford, Auckland.