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Pregnancy & Back Pain: Common? Yes. Inevitable? No.

  • Writer: Kyle Worrall
    Kyle Worrall
  • Jul 1
  • 2 min read

Updated: Jul 2

Back pain during pregnancy affects up to 70% of women, especially in the third trimester. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s normal, and it definitely doesn’t mean you have to just put up with it.

Let’s break down what’s actually going on, and more importantly, what you can do about it.


If you don’t fancy reading, you can also watch the video below 👇



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What causes pregnancy-related back pain?

  • Relaxin kicks in and softens the ligaments around your pelvis, especially the sacroiliac joints and pubic symphysis. That’s your body preparing for birth so your hips can widen, but it also means less joint stability.

  • Your posture shifts as your bump grows. The curve in your lower back increases and your centre of gravity moves forward.

  • Your core and glutes don’t work as well as they did, which means less support for your pelvis and spine.

  • Your walking pattern starts to change, usually without you realising. That adds uneven load across the system.

  • Breathing becomes more shallow, which takes the deep core offline and adds more strain to the spine.

So how does that lead to pain?

As your body loses stability, it tries to protect itself. The QL, the erector spinae, the deep back muscles all start working overtime to hold you together.

It’s like trying to play Jenga on a canoe. The base is wobbly, so everything else tightens up to stop the stack from toppling over.

And over time, this can lead to:

  • SI joint pain

  • Facet joint compression

  • Referred pain into the hips, groin or thighs

  • Pain that shows up more with walking, stairs, or at night


What we see at Thrive:

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  • A deep, dull ache in the lower back

  • Sharp pain during single-leg tasks like getting in the car

  • A feeling like your pelvis is going to give way

  • Pain that builds through the day or flares at night

  • Pain across the pubic bone or general pelvic discomfort


So how do we treat it?

Obviously there’s a 10lb+ reason your body is under pressure. Once the baby’s out, a lot of relief usually follows. But you don’t need to wait until then to feel better.

There’s a lot we can do while you’re pregnant to reduce pain and build confidence.

Here’s what we focus on at Thrive:

✅ Hands-on treatment to reduce tension and get stiff joints moving again ✅ Pregnancy-safe rehab to get your core and glutes back online ✅ Small changes to posture, walking and day-to-day movement ✅ Breathwork to get your diaphragm and pelvic floor working together again

Bottom line

Pregnancy back pain is common, but you don’t have to just live with it.

With the right approach, you can move better, feel stronger, and stay active right through your pregnancy.

If you’re currently pregnant and in pain, or just want to stay ahead of it, I offer free 15-minute consultations to talk things through and give you advice that actually helps.

📩 Drop me a message and let’s chat. Or BOOK NOW

 
 
 

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