If you are pregnant and dealing with back pain or pain around your pelvis, you are not alone. Studies suggest that up to 70% of pregnant women experience low back pain, and around 20% develop pelvic girdle pain (PGP) at some point during their pregnancy.
The frustrating part? Many women are told it is “just part of being pregnant” and that they need to push through it. That is not true. Pregnancy-related back and pelvic pain is treatable, and you do not have to spend months in discomfort waiting for it to resolve on its own.
What is pelvic girdle pain?
Pelvic girdle pain refers to pain felt between the back of your pelvis (around the sacroiliac joints) and the front (the pubic symphysis). It can show up on one side or both, and it often radiates into the buttocks, hips, or thighs.
Common signs include:
- Pain at the back of your pelvis, deep in the buttock area
- Pain at the front of your pelvis, over the pubic bone
- Discomfort that gets worse when walking, climbing stairs, turning over in bed, or standing on one leg
- A feeling of instability or “giving way” in the pelvis
- Pain that makes it difficult to get comfortable at night
PGP can range from mild discomfort to pain that significantly affects your daily life. Some women find it hard to walk, work, or care for older children because of it.
Why does it happen?
Several factors come together during pregnancy to make your pelvis and lower back more vulnerable:
Hormonal changes. From early in pregnancy, your body produces a hormone called relaxin. Its job is to loosen the ligaments around your pelvis to prepare for birth. But relaxin does not just target the pelvis. It affects ligaments throughout your body, which can reduce the stability of your joints and make them more susceptible to strain.
Shifting load. As your baby grows, your centre of gravity shifts forward. Your lower back curves more to compensate, and the muscles around your pelvis and spine work harder to keep you balanced. This increased demand on muscles that are already dealing with looser ligaments can lead to pain and fatigue.
Joint changes. The sacroiliac joints at the back of your pelvis and the pubic symphysis at the front are under increased mechanical stress during pregnancy. When these joints are not moving well or are bearing load unevenly, pain follows.
Muscle imbalances. The deep core and pelvic floor muscles that normally support your pelvis can become stretched and weakened as pregnancy progresses. At the same time, other muscles tighten up to compensate, creating imbalances that put more strain on the joints.
Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Chiropractic care is widely recognised as a safe and effective option for managing musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy. A systematic review by Liddle and Pennick (2015) published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews concluded that manual therapy interventions can reduce back and pelvic pain in pregnancy.
Research by George and colleagues (2013) found that pregnant women who received chiropractic care reported significant improvements in pain and daily function. The treatments were well tolerated with no adverse effects reported.
Chiropractors who work with pregnant patients use modified techniques and specialised equipment (such as pregnancy pillows and drop-piece tables) to accommodate a growing belly. The adjustments are gentle, and the approach is adapted as your body changes throughout each trimester.
How chiropractic care helps
Chiropractic treatment for pregnancy-related pain typically focuses on several areas:
Restoring joint function. When the sacroiliac joints or other spinal segments are not moving properly, gentle adjustments can restore normal motion. This reduces the strain on surrounding muscles and ligaments and often provides immediate relief.
Balancing the pelvis. An uneven pelvis creates asymmetric loading that can make PGP worse. Chiropractic adjustments aim to restore balance across the pelvis, which helps distribute the increasing load of pregnancy more evenly. The Webster Technique, developed specifically for pregnant patients, focuses on reducing sacral restrictions and improving pelvic balance.
Reducing muscle tension. Soft tissue work on tight muscles, particularly through the hips, lower back, and glutes, can relieve the protective guarding that builds up around painful joints.
Supporting better movement patterns. Your chiropractor can also guide you on safe exercises and stretches to maintain strength and mobility throughout your pregnancy. Keeping active with the right kind of movement is one of the best things you can do for pregnancy-related pain.
What the research says
The evidence supporting chiropractic care during pregnancy is strong and continues to grow:
- A 2020 systematic review by Weis and colleagues, published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, examined 50 studies and concluded that chiropractic care is a safe and effective option for managing pregnancy-related low back and pelvic pain.
- Peterson, Muhlemann and Humphreys (2014) followed 115 pregnant women receiving chiropractic care and found that 70% reported clinically significant improvement at one month, rising to 85% at three months and 90% at six months, with no serious adverse events.
- Clinical practice guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recognise non-pharmacological approaches, including manual therapy, as appropriate first-line options for managing back pain in pregnancy.
Things you can do at home
Alongside professional care, there are several things that can help manage pregnancy-related pain:
- Stay active. Gentle walking, swimming, and prenatal exercise classes can help maintain strength and reduce stiffness. Avoid activities that aggravate your symptoms.
- Sleep with a pillow between your knees. This keeps your pelvis aligned and reduces strain on the sacroiliac joints overnight.
- Avoid standing on one leg. Sit down to get dressed, and take stairs one at a time if they cause discomfort.
- Wear supportive footwear. Flat, supportive shoes help maintain better alignment through your pelvis and lower back.
- Try a pregnancy support belt. A pelvic support belt can provide additional stability and reduce pain during activity, particularly in the second and third trimesters.
When to get help
If your pain is affecting your ability to walk, sleep, work, or care for yourself, do not wait. Early intervention tends to lead to better outcomes. The longer PGP goes untreated, the more the compensatory patterns build up, and the harder it becomes to resolve.
You should also seek professional advice if you experience:
- Pain that is severe or rapidly worsening
- Numbness or tingling in your legs
- Difficulty controlling your bladder
- Pain that does not improve with rest or position changes
You should not have to just “get through it”
There is a persistent idea that pregnancy pain is unavoidable and that you just need to wait it out until the baby arrives. That is outdated advice. The research is clear: targeted treatment during pregnancy leads to better outcomes for both pain and function, and waiting often makes things harder to resolve.
You deserve to enjoy your pregnancy, not spend it counting down the weeks until the pain stops. If something does not feel right, trust that instinct.
If you are pregnant and struggling with back or pelvic pain, get in touch or book an appointment. Dr Kirsten Anley has a special interest in prenatal care and can help you move through your pregnancy with less pain and more confidence.
References
- Liddle SD, Pennick V. Interventions for Preventing and Treating Pelvic and Back Pain in Pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015;(9):CD001139.
- George JW, Skaggs CD, Thompson PA, Nelson DM, Gavard JA, Gross GA. A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a Multimodal Intervention and Standard Obstetrics Care for Low Back and Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2013;208(4):295.e1-295.e7.
- Weis CA, Pohlman K, Engel R, et al. Chiropractic Care for Adults With Pregnancy-Related Low Back, Pelvic Girdle Pain, or Combination Pain: A Systematic Review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2020;43(7):714-731.
- Peterson CK, Muhlemann D, Humphreys BK. Outcomes of Pregnant Patients with Low Back Pain Undergoing Chiropractic Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study with Short Term, Medium Term and One Year Follow-Up. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2014;22:15.
- Vleeming A, Albert HB, Ostgaard HC, Sturesson B, Stuge B. European Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pelvic Girdle Pain. European Spine Journal. 2008;17(6):794-819.