Back Stretches for Pregnant Women

Back stretches help in prevention of back pain during pregnancy. Presented below are some easy exercises for pregnant women.

Back pain is a commonest ailment in pregnancy. During pregnancy, more than 80% women experience lower back pain which is caused due to several reasons. Firstly, the excess weight gain and the increased pressure on the lower back leads to back pain. Secondly, in some cases the changing hormonal condition also gives rise to back pain. If you too experience throbbing or dull pain in the back, following easy and simple exercises will be helpful to you.

Back Exercises for Pregnant Women

Most of the back strengthening exercises can be performed easily at home. However, if you are doing these pregnancy exercises for the first time, you need to be careful and try not doing rigorous routines. Now, let us take a look at back stretches in detail:

Exercise # 1

This is one of the simplest and easiest exercise for pregnant women. You should stand with your back to the wall. Now slowly try to raise your arms upwards. Try and stretch your arms above your head as much as you can; but keep your feet straight, do not bend them. Try to maintain the position for 5 seconds, without causing any discomfort. Now, slowly lower your arms and get back to the normal position. You can do this for 4-5 times a day to prevent back pain.

Exercise # 2

You should bend down on your fours, i.e., hands and knees. Your hands should be placed directly below the shoulders and knee exactly below the hips. Take in breath and let your belly sag. When you let out breath, you can arch your back or keep it straight. This exercise is known as pelvic rock and is also one of the most effective and safe exercises during pregnancy.

Exercise # 3

This is another type of exercise that can be done throughout pregnancy. Just like above, you should bend on your fours (hands and knees) while keep the back straight. Then you should rock back and forth slowly, while keeping the back straight. Try to move as much back and as much forth without causing any discomfort or losing balance. This is one of the sciatica stretches for pregnant women and can be done 4-5 times.

Exercise # 4

You should first stand in a comfortable position. Now, you should clasp your hands (not too tightly) behind your back. Next, try and lift your arms as high as possible. Hold the position for 2-3 seconds and bring back to the original position. This exercise can also be done for 4-5 times everyday.

When performing the lower back stretches, it is wise to follow them only after the doctor's or the trainer's advice. As one of the safety measures, while performing exercises, pregnant women should stay away from objects that can cause injury. You should also try not to stretch your limits excessively. You should perform exercises near the wall or have something for a support, in case you may need it. Along with exercise, taking complete and proper rest is also helpful for back pain relief during pregnancy.

Lastly, one of the most important things to note is that the muscles and ligaments become weak and soft during pregnancy. Therefore, one should be careful while performing any exercises in order to avoid injury. Take care!

By Madhura Pandit

Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/Back-Stretches-for-Pregnant-Women.html