pelvic stability Archives - Moving Like A Mother

Exercise & Pregnancy (Plus a Total Body Routine)

Posted on December 24, 2020May 16, 2023 by Monica

There is a common misunderstanding about exercise and pregnancy. Years ago it was believed that pregnant women should rest and take it easy. And while I am all for having a pregnant woman kick her feet up so her baby daddy can give her a world class foot massage, baby mama should also be participating in regular exercise.

Women with noncomplicated pregnancies can (and should) safely participate in exercise throughout their pregnancy. According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists “If you are healthy and your pregnancy is normal, it is safe to continue or start regular physical activity. Physical activity does not increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or early delivery.”

In fact there are numerous health benefits of regular exercise to both mom and baby that you can read about next. See what are the general exercise recommendations during an uncomplicated pregnancy. And finally, when one of my preggo besties asked for an at-home core, butt, hip, and leg strengthening exercise she could do during her second trimester I was more than happy to oblige. You can try it out below (even if you aren’t expecting!).

Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy

There are numerous benefits to exercise during pregnancy. Exercise when expecting can aid in decreasing musculoskeletal aches and pains, helps decrease stress, aides in healthy weight gain, improves your self image, and helps decrease the recovery time after your baby is born.

Additional (likely lesser known) benefits include:

Decreases constipation
Decreases swelling
May decrease your risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes
Strengthens your heart and your blood vessels for you and baby
May help prepare your body for labor and/or birthing your baby (it can be a marathon)

Physical Changes During Pregnancy

Hormonal changes

The hormone relaxin is released during pregnancy which increases laxity in the joints allowing the pelvis to widen. However, this increase in laxity can lead to joint instability and pain.

Extra pressure on joints

With a growing baby in utero there typically comes a growing number on the scale. This increased weight gain is healthy and part of a typical pregnancy but it can lead to a sudden increase of pressure on the low back, hips, knees, and feet.

A growing stomach

As the baby grows the uterus and abdomen also expands at an exponential rate. The places stress on the muscles and tissues of the abdominal wall. Sometimes this increased pressure and growth can lead to a separation of the abdominal wall known as a diastasis recti. You can read more about diastasis recti in my “Mommy Pooch” post.

Pelvic pain and pressure

Not only does the growing baby place increased pressure on the joints but it also places extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. This can lead to pain in the pelvic floor region, sciatic nerve compression, and incontinence. You can read more about pregnancy and it’s effects on pelvic floor function in my post Is It Normal To Pee When You Sneeze.

To learn more about how the total core body functions be sure to check out my post about The “Pop Can” Core.

How To Exercise When Pregnant

So you may be wondering how much exercise you need when pregnant. The general recommendation is to participate in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week. This will help you achieve many of the aforementioned benefits.

Key elements for limiting excess maternal weight gain during pregnancy include exercising 5 times a week, exercising at a moderate to somewhat hard intensity, and continuing to exercise until the end of pregnancy (if medically able).

If you never exercised pre-pregnancy you should ease into an exercise routine. Do not go crazy and decide that pregnancy is the perfect time to start training for a 5K when you haven’t run since you were 9 years old. Let’s be realistic now.

Choose something you enjoy doing when deciding on what type of exercise to do while expecting. Avoid any activities that may place you at risk of falling such as skiing, horse back riding, or mountain biking. (Cause I know that’s exactly what most women with an ever growing watermelon belly want to do.) Pick something that is fun and convenient such as walking, jogging, exercise machines, swimming, resistance training, yoga, or dancing.

Strengthening or stabilization exercises can be very helpful in avoiding musculoskeletal aches and pains throughout pregnancy. Additionally, strengthening your core, hips, pelvis and legs can help prepare you for the physical demands of labor, childbirth, and motherhood. Strengthening can be done through using resistance bands, isometric holds, or repetitions.

Important muscle groups to strengthen include:

Core/abdomen muscles – can help decrease development of a diastasis recti
Hips/buttock muscles– aids in prevention of hip and low back pain
Pelvic floor muscles– can decrease low back pain and incontinence
Leg muscles – improves function during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum
Upper body muscles – helpful during labor and when holding/carrying baby postpartum

Exercise Routine

There are certain conditions in pregnancy in which exercise may be contraindicated. You should always speak with your OB or health care provider before beginning an exercise program.

If you are just starting an exercise program aim to exercise three days a week and progress up to six if your body is tolerating it well. You should always start an exercise routine with a brief warm up and a cool down period. Check out this total body strengthening routine for core, butt, hips, legs, and even a dash of pelvic floor.

Core & Hip Strengthening Routine (1st and 2nd Trimester Friendly)

Bridges: 10-12 reps
Sumo Squats: 10-12 reps (add 5-10lb dumbbell for extra resistance)
Hip Circles: 10 reps clockwise 10 reps counter clockwise
Plank Toe Taps: 10 taps to each side
Wood Chops: 10 to each side (add 5-10 lb dumbbell for extra resistance)
Modified Hip Dips: 10 each side

Repeat this circuit for 3 sets.

What’s Next?

Again, always be sure to speak with your OB or the appropriate medical professional prior to beginning an exercise program when pregnant or postpartum. Exercise is a great way to promote a healthy pregnancy and pave the way for an easier recovery postpartum. If you are looking for more exercise ideas just drop a comment and let me know what you would like to see. Enjoy and happy exercising!

–Monica

6 Pelvic Stability Exercises You Should Be Doing

Posted on November 11, 2020May 16, 2023 by Monica

I love my kids dearly.

But handing my two little dumplings off to their daddy so I can go out for a solo run is what gives me life some days. So after each of my respective pregnancies I was eager to get back to running. You can read my post about my return to running journey here.

Unfortunately, I was surprised by my ability to run and some other unexpected “experiences” which you can read about here. Pre pregnancy (and even at some points during pregnancy) I was able to run 5, 6, 7, miles no problem. However postpartum was a different story. Once I started getting up to that 3-4 mile range I really began to struggle. My hips would start to ache after just 3 miles. My knees would have little twinges of pain and my low back would hurt.

Um, not ok.

Why Pelvic Stability is Important

The number one culprit for back pain, pelvic pain, hip pain and knee pain is often core weakness and pelvic instability, especially postpartum. In order to be successful with running it is imperative to have a strong core and sufficient strength in the muscles that stabilize your pelvis. These muscles include your abdominals, obliques, and especially your glutes.

To be completely honest I have not always practiced what I preached and pelvic stability exercises weren’t high on my priority list in my workout repertoire. Butttt I knew it was what I needed in order to improve my running endurance and to feel generally better. (And spoiler alert, stability strengthening has really grown on me).

How To Improve Your Pelvic Stability

So below are 6 great, no equipment, strengthening exercises to improve core and pelvic stability. These exercises are good for anybody… especially postpartum, and especially if you plan on resuming regular exercise. I started with these exercises below and noticed an improvement after just a few weeks.

Back pain, byeee.

Aint nobody got time for that.

For each exercise focus on quality. Perform slow and with good form. Keep core tight. Perform 2-3 sets of each exercise. Plan on doing this exercises regularly for 4-6 weeks to notice an improvement in your pelvic stability strength.

Clamshells

Lay on one side with your knees slightly bent. While keeping your feet together, slowly lift your top knee up. Keep your core tight and your trunk stable. Aim for 10-15 reps each side.

Bridges

Lay on your back with your knees bent. Squeeze your glutes and press through your heels to lift your hips upward. Keep your pelvis even and your core braced. Aim for 10-15 reps.

Plank

Support yourself on your elbows and the balls of your feet. Activate your core and squeeze your glutes to prevent your back from dipping down or hiking up. Hold for as long as you can maintain good form. Aim for 30-60 seconds

Side plank

Lay on your side. Lift your hips off the ground so you’re supported on your elbow and your foot. Try to keep your body in a straight line with core activated. Hold for as long as you can maintain good form. Aim for 30-60 seconds each side.

Bird dog

Start on your hands and knees. Extend one arm forward and raise the opposite leg backwards. Brace with your core. Aim for good form. Hold for 10 seconds and switch arms and legs. Perform 6 reps.

Fire hydrants

Start on your hands and knees. Keeping your core braced raise one knee up to the side while the knee remains flexed at 90 degrees. (Like a dog using the bathroom on a fire hydrant…get it? hehe) Raise leg so that it becomes parallel to the ground. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for 10 reps each leg.

View the full routine below:

Have fun and happy stabilizing.

You can read more about the changes our body goes through during pregnancy in my post about the pelvic floor and the “Pop Can Core“. If you are looking for more core exercises be sure to check out these 5 great core moves. And you can continue to work on pelvic stabilization with these 4 band exercises.

-Monica

What causes pelvic pain

Posted on July 27, 2020May 16, 2023 by Monica

Pelvic pain is a common occurrence in women, especially women who are or have been pregnant. But it’s not only pregnant women that suffer from this pelvic discomfort. It can also occur in women who haven’t had children and even men. But what causes pelvic pain? Pain felt in the pelvis region is multi-factoral and there are several reasons you may be experiencing discomfort in this area. Lets chat about the who, what, why and when of pelvic pain.

What does pelvic pain feel like:

We usually categorize pain as pelvic pain when it is felt below the belly button and between the hips. Common areas of pain include near the groin, around the low back/ buttocks region, near the pubic bone, and even felt as pain or pressure in our nether regions. Pelvic pain can be felt as a dull ache, pressure, pulling, or sharp sudden pain.

When does pelvic pain occur:

Pelvic pain in women most often occurs during pregnancy. To think we can lug around a bowling ball for 9 months and it not effect our pelvis is wishful thinking. But women can have pain in their pelvis after pregnancy, even several years later. Pelvic pain occurs when there is extra stress, a misalignment, or some type of muscle imbalance in our pelvic girdle often during or after pregnancy. But it can also occur in non pregnancy related ways from everyday activities that put your pelvis in poor alignment. For example, when men sit on their wallet in their back pocket it can throw their pelvis out of alignment. Surprise, men can have pelvic pain too.

Why does pelvic pain occur

Ah, the million dollar question. Why does pelvic pain occur? There are several causes for pelvic pain related to musculoskeletal imbalances or a misalignment of the pelvis. However, there can also be other medical causes for pain felt around the pelvis and if you have pelvic pain that doesn’t go away you should always consult your doctor. But lets chat about the common muscle and alignment reasons.

Pelvic pain explained:

Lets have a quick anatomy lesson. The pelvis is composed of two main bones, which you can think of as the “hip bones”. You have a one on the left and one on the right that are joined by the sacrum in the back and joined by your pubic symphysis in the front. Our pelvis is often referred to as the SI joint, or sacroiliac joint. A typical, healthy, pain free pelvis has symmetrical alignment where the two bones line up nicely and each rotate the appropriate amount as you bend over, flex your hip, or generally move about in life. However, sometimes the pelvis can become misaligned where one bone is rotated too far forward or backwards, or one is up too high. This is going to cause pain and pulling of the tissues, muscles, and ligaments that surround your pelvis.

Pregnancy and Pelvic Pain

Pregnancy is also a big contributor to pelvic pain. During pregnancy the hormone relaxin allows your ligaments and muscles to become more lax to allow room for the baby to grow. And as the baby grows it places extra stress and pressure on your pelvis and pelvic floor muscles. All of this together places your pelvis at increased risk for becoming misaligned.

Another cause of pelvic discomfort in pregnancy is pubic symphysis pain. Your two pelvic bones meet together in the middle and form a joint known as the pubic symphysis. It is located right in front of your bladder. I could write a whole additional blog post about pubic symphysis pain but just know that it can become very unstable, irritated, and contribute to pelvic pain during pregnancy.

Pelvic pain can also be related to problems with the muscles of your pelvic floor. Frequently after having a baby our pelvic floor muscles are too tight or too weak. If you feel you are having problems with your pelvic floor you should consult with your doctor and consider a referral for women’s health physical therapy for a complete assessment.

Pelvic pain vs. hip pain vs. back pain

An important fact to remember is the body is a chain. When one body part (or link) is not working properly another link up or down the chain will be effected. And our pelvis is part of our core which is the base of our body. Consequently, pelvic pain or misalignment can also cause pain in our hips and in our lower backs.

Treatment to help pelvic pain

Exercise:

Musculoskeletal imbalances, aka when the muscles surrounding a body part are not working in a balanced manner, is a common contributor to pelvic pain. Tightness of the hip adductors, tightness or weakness of the pelvic floor, weakness of the pelvic stabilizers, and core weakness are usually some of our first suspects when someone has pelvic pain. This can be rectified with strengthening and pelvic stabilization. Check out some quick and easy pelvic stabilization exercises here and basic core stabilization exercises here. Sometime a special muscle energy technique can be used to help “reset” our pelvis. Stay tuned for my next post this week that is all about exercises to help pelvic pain.

SI Belt:

As previously mentioned our pelvis is also referred to as our SI joint. And a very helpful product to provide external stability to our pelvis is an SI belt. An SI belt is useful when the muscles surrounding the pelvis are not yet strong enough and you are experiencing pelvic or back pain due to joint instability. They offer SI belts for both pregnant and non-pregnant people. I wore an SI belt for several weeks while I was pregnant with my son and it provided stability to allow a muscle strain in my lower back to heal.

Position or Activity Modification:

Sometimes pelvic pain is a result of an activity or position we are putting ourselves in everyday. For example activities that require you to stand on one leg (putting on pants, shoes, climbing into bed, etc) can increase your pelvic pain during pregnancy. Instead, try sitting down to put your pants on and off to reduce the stress place on your pelvis.

As I previously mentioned, men often sit on their wallets which places their pelvis in a asymmetrical position. This will lead to tightness and pain in either their pelvis or low backs. Take note of where and how you are sitting and ensure that you are sitting with good symmetrical alignment in the car, on the couch, or in your desk chair.

So what’s next?

There are many possible contributors to musculoskeletal related pelvic pain. Pregnancy, muscle imbalances, and improper positioning are leading causes of pain. Later this week I will post some quick easy exercises to help “reset” your pelvis as well as stretches to aid in prevention of asymmetrical pulling. So be sure to come back and check it out.

-Monica