How to ease back pain during pregnancy:

learning child

(NC)—There are few things in life that put more strain on your back than pregnancy. During pregnancy, your spine must adapt to posture and weight changes with each passing month, and lower back pain is a common problem.

Alberta's chiropractors offer the following exercises to help maintain healthy spinal mobility and alignment during pregnancy.

1. Waist rotation. Stand with hands on waist, feet shoulder–width apart. Bend forward slightly from the waist and rotate upper body clockwise and then counterclockwise. Keep hips stationary. Repeat 10–20 times on each side.

2. Hip rotation. Same starting position as above; keep upper body as stationary as possible and rotate hips clockwise and then counterclockwise. Repeat 10–20 times on each side.

3. Spinal stretch, side–to–side. Same starting position as above. Without moving the hips, bend at the waist, first to the left and then to the right, bending only as far as is comfortable. Repeat 10–20 times.

4. Spinal stretch, forward and back. Place fingers of both hands at the base of the spine and bend forward slightly from the waist. Now gently bend spine backward, pushing in with your fingers and raising your heels off the ground. Repeat several times, moving your fingers up your spine a little each time, until you have reached as far up your spine as you can.

5. Torso twist. Stand with feet shoulder–width apart, arms extended to your side. Keeping arms extended, twist from the waist up, first to the left and then to the right, looking in the direction you are turning. Repeat 10–20 times on each side.

6. Pelvic rock. Position yourself on your hands and knees, with your spine parallel to the floor. Gently tense lower abdominal muscles and squeeze the buttocks, rocking the pelvis forward and tilting the pelvic bone toward your chin. Hold. Release and return to original position. Repeat 10–20 times. (In yoga, this is known as the cat/cow position.)

Chiropractors are specially trained to treat back and joint issues related to pregnancy. They also have special techniques and equipment to ensure your comfort throughout all stages of pregnancy.

More information, including where to find a chiropractor in your area, is available at: www.albertachiro.com