Doing the recommended amount of physical exercise for pain relief during pregnancy is important to avoid pelvic girdle and lower back pain as described in this article. Pregnant women are advised to carry out exercises of moderate intensity for about half an hour three to five times a week provided there are no obstetric contraindications. Other possible benefits from regular exercise for pregnant women include reduced risk of Gestational Diabetes, Pre-eclampsia, and Depression. It may also create a shorter delivery time, and there is a higher likelihood of vaginal delivery.

Exercise For Pain Relief During Pregnancy

Although it may seem enticing to rest when experiencing pain and not undertake an exercise routine, gentle stretching and movement will often decrease muscle spasm and restore improved spinal function, resulting in decreased pain

 
Not enough healthy pregnant women are doing the recommended amount of physical exercise, suggest study findings.

 

The benefits of such exercise are clear, say the researchers, who found that women who exercised sufficiently were less likely to report pelvic girdle pain, low back pain, and depression.

 

As long as they have no medical or obstetric contraindications, pregnant women are advised to exercise three to five times a week for 15-30 minutes at moderate intensity, in line with current recommendations for the general population.

 

In addition to the more obvious health benefits, exercise has been suggested to reduce the risk for gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and depression, and has also been linked with shorter delivery time and a higher likelihood of having a vaginal delivery.

 

Kristin Gjestland (Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway) and colleaguesanalyzed data collected from 3482 women participating in the Akershus Birth Cohort study. They collected information on the amount of exercise women participated in as well as their general health information between weeks 17 and 21 of pregnancy, at week 32, and at birth.

 

As reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the team found that only 14.6% of the women followed guidelines suggesting that they should exercise three times a week or more for at least 20 minutes at moderate intensity.

 

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It is discouraging that few women take to exercises during pregnancy as outlined in the study. Doing exercises, as recommended, for 15 to 30 minutes a day, and for three to five days a week provided there are no health problems may have multiple benefits. These include reducing a number of very uncomfortable, painful, and harmful health complications for the mother and baby.
 
Pregnant women should do the recommended amount of exercises at a moderate intensity. Exercise for pain relief during pregnancy reduces risk of pelvic girdle, back pain, and depression. It is also important to take advice of a doctor and check up for any obstetric contraindications. Partners of pregnant women can get off the couch and help encourage some light exercise.
 
Doing exercises at least three times a week will help in the mobility in pregnant women, while negating the risk of complications during pregnancy.

Chad Madden from Madden Physical Therapy demonstrates the top 3 exercises to help manage back pain during a pregnancy.

Dr. Guevara from Premier Health Rehab Atlanta explains how as the uterus begins to grow during pregnancy, the body’s center of gravity starts to shift and the back muscles are forced to work extra hard to maintain proper posture.

This gentle prenatal yoga class uses yoga poses perfect for pregnancy and will help you relax and stretch all the muscles in your body, deeply connect with your baby and will help you prepare both mentally and physically for labor. By YogaDownload.com