Morning sickness, leg cramps, and lumbar pain — oh my! Pregnancy is just full of wonderful feelings, isn’t it? Chief among them is lower back pain, thanks to the changes caused by your newly growing babe. But don’t worry, mama — we have some solutions for you. These five massages are about to become your new best friend.
Keep reading for our favorite lower back massages, plus pregnancy back pain answered below.
Why Do Pregnant Women Experience Back Pain?
Back pain is one of the most common hallmarks of pregnancy, almost as inescapable as morning sickness. If this is your first rodeo, you might think that the additional weight of your baby causes pregnancy back pain.
Lower back pain typically occurs early in pregnancy, when your body starts to change and adjust in preparation for growing a human. During your first trimester (when you can still fit into all of your favorite dresses), your hormones are hard at work.
First trimester hormones are responsible for softening and lengthening the ligaments in your pelvis in order to prepare them for delivery. (Ligaments are the connective tissue between bones.)
The relaxing of the ligaments around your pelvis is a major reason why your body is able to actually push out a baby. However, this “relaxation” is the main culprit for your back pain, along with added weight and a changing center of gravity.
And while there isn’t exactly much you can do to stop those ligaments from relaxing, there are some other strategies you can use to relieve lower back pain, including our favorite option: getting a massage. It’s time to fight the “relaxing” with something that actually feels “relaxing.”
Benefits of Massage 411
Massages are AWESOME for back pain relief. But there are a few things you should know before you jump in your car and drive to the spa (or jump in bed and ask your partner to do it).
First and foremost, not all massages are made for your home. If you’re looking for a more specialized massage, such as a deep tissue or sports massage, you should go to a spa or a chiropractor to get it done by an expert.
If you do ask your partner for a back massage, make sure they know the basics: avoid putting pressure on the spine, and be gentle, especially if they haven’t given you this type of massage in the past. Some practitioners recommend against first trimester massages or massages for pregnant women with certain conditions.
Whether you seek your massage at a chiropractic or physical therapy practice or at home, good for you — you’re taking a step to manage your pain and have a healthy and enjoyable pregnancy.
So, without further ado, here are our five favorite massages for lower back pain:
Therapeutic Massage
If you’re seeking a massage specifically to relieve that lower back pain, a classic therapeutic massage might be in order. Therapeutic massages are targeted to specific regions of the body to relieve pain or tension, so your massage therapist can narrow in on the lower back and help ease the pain.
The massage therapist will likely employ a variety of massage techniques to relax the muscles in and around your lower back, including kneading and digging into the soft tissue of your back muscles. Since this type of massage centers on pain relief, it’s important to seek out an expert, like a certified massage therapist or chiropractor, to make sure that they don’t do more harm than good.
You might be wondering what exactly it is about someone pounding your back for 60 minutes that is so effective for treating your aching lower back. Despite the mounds of anecdotal evidence supporting the efficacy of therapeutic massage to treat pain, there’s not a whole lot of science to explain exactly why this method works so well.
But recent studies have pointed to anti-inflammatory effects as a cause for why it does work so well. Studies suggest that the kneading of sore muscles and ligaments can help activate genes that allow our muscles to heal rather than become more inflamed.
Pretty cool, right? But even cooler is being able to walk out of that massage without debilitating lower and upper back pain. Physical therapist, here we come!
Shiatsu Massage
The Shiatsu massage is a Japanese massage technique that is typically performed over loose clothing and without the aid of any oils (meaning you can get a massage while still in your adorable new maternity jumpsuit).
A Shiatsu massage therapist will use their fingers, elbows, and palms to apply pressure along the body’s energy paths, including the lower back.
Shiatsu massage has been around for centuries, but the science behind how and why it works is limited. However, one study found that in combination with other treatments for lower back pain, Shiatsu massage therapy was highly effective at improving symptoms of pain. Improved symptoms of pain? Yes, please.
Like many forms of massage therapy, Shiatsu massage has been found to be most effective for short-term relief rather than a long-term solution for addressing chronic low back pain (or chronic pain of any sort).
While Shiatsu massage can help soothe pregnancy-related back pain, if you find yourself dealing with chronic pain due to another medical condition, you’ll want to look into other pain management strategies.
Trigger Point Massage
Like therapeutic massage, trigger point massage is best suited for treating a specific problem area or condition (pregnant ladies, that’s us!). The massage therapist will work on relieving tension in key areas of the body. In this case, they would focus on kneading and relaxing your back muscles.
Depending on where you go, a trigger point massage can be a full body massage with a focus on one specific region, or the massage therapist might solely work on your lower back. Trigger point massages typically last 60 to 90 minutes and can be done lightly clothed or undressed.
Reflexology
Reflexology is unique among other types of massage. Rather than target a specific problem region, it focuses on the feet, hands, and ears. Because of this, you might be tempted to dismiss it as useless for pregnancy back pain — but hold your horses. Numerous studies have found that reflexology is useful in reducing pain and anxiety and promoting relaxation and deep sleep. Sounds like a win-win to us!
A reflexology massage therapist will apply pressure on your hands, feet, and ears in a specific manner to soothe and relax. And while this type of massage is generally safe to replicate at home, you may not get the same results as you would with a trained massage therapist.
Swedish Massage
Our final favorite massage is the all-time classic, the Swedish massage. This full-body massage is both incredibly relaxing and helpful for relieving tension or pain in problem areas. It can be done both at home or in the care of an expert massage therapist.
During a Swedish massage, your massage therapist will use a combination of striking, stroking, tapping, and kneading to relieve muscle tension throughout your body. This type of massage is especially good for relieving soreness because it can treat muscle tension while also promoting total body relaxation.
If you’re on the fence about getting a massage or not sure if it will be worth your time and money, try out a Swedish massage. Even if you don’t think it adequately addresses your lower back pain, the feeling of bliss as you walk out of the spa or chiropractic practice will be worth it.
Other Ways to Wellness
There are a few other things you can do to address lower back pain aside from getting a massage. (Although we highly recommend it. You’re growing another person inside you — you deserve some high-quality relaxation.)
Talk to your doctor about back pain that is more serious or chronic — they’ll be able to refer you to a physical therapist who can walk you through stretches and exercises to help ease the strain. They’ll likely give you some exercises to practice at home and possibly help you work on improving poor posture, which can also contribute to lower back pain.
Acupuncture is another great option for relieving back pain. While the science is mixed on exactly why acupuncture works — there’s evidence that it might just be a placebo effect. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that it works well for a lot of people, so don’t be afraid to give this practice a try in your quest to be pain-free.
Back pain might be a hallmark of pregnancy, but there’s no reason to suffer forever, especially when there are so many different types of massage out there to help you relax and reduce the pain.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your fav belly oil and get relaxing ASAP.
Sources:
