Pregnancy and Chiropractic
YES! Exercise is safe and beneficial during pregnancy. There is no evidence of harmful effects of exercise on pregnancy. But because of the lack of evidence, it is important to know how to exercise properly, and to talk with your chiropractor about making a program of exercise that is right for you.
The recommendations for exercise during pregnancy are that the same level of exercise from before pregnancy is maintained. If you have never exercised, you may be able to start a mild exercise program including exercises for the muscles used in pregnancy. However, someone who has never exercised is not going to want to suddenly start a strenuous program of aerobics and strength exercises. If you have a high level of exercise pre-pregnancy, you should be able to maintain that level of exercise. You might, however, need to decrease intensity of your exercise program as these exercises become harder due to the pregnancy. There are some things that a pregnant women should not do during pregnancy especially in the later stages of pregnancy, but generally most exercises are safe.
Are there limitations or guidelines for exercise?
Yes. Your perceived level of exertion before pregnancy, should stay the same or possibly decrease a little as needed. You need to make sure that you have adequate nutrient and water intake. You need to keep your core body temperature below 101 degrees and your heart rate below 140- 160 beats per min. You should be able to exercise for a minimum of 15 to 20 min. Exercises to consider avoiding later in the pregenancy include: exercise requiring balance (maybe not the best time to be on a ladder as your center of gravity changes), high impact, the possibility of falling, repetitive bouncing or jerking, and exercises done while laying on your back. You should, however, be able to continue with a current sport or activity without many changes. For more information on guidelines, ask your Chiropractor.
What are the benefits of exercise?
There are many benefits to exercising during pregnancy. It can decrease the time it takes to return to pre-pregnancy fitness. It can decrease the time spent in the hospital recovering. It can increase Apgar scores and birth weight. Exercise can decrease discomfort during pregnancy. And it can decrease the difficulty and length of labor. Problems such as swollen hands and feet, leg cramps, and varicose veins may occur less frequently in women who have exercised during pregnancy. Exercise has many wonderful benefits for the pregnant woman.
There are neuromuscular and biochemical changes that occur in pregnancy, and chiropractic can be very helpful in dealing with many of the problems that arise. Adjustments help the body function at its optimal level, allowing it to remain healthy by helping the body to heal itself. Adjustments, especially to the pelvis (sacrum, ilium, and pubis), can help the birth move along more quickly and with less pain because the joints that are stressed so much during birth, will be moving properly. Along with adjustments, your chiropractor can help guide you in many other ways. Chiropractors can help you find an exercise program and a nutritional diet that will benefit both you and your child. They can also use soft tissue techniques to help relieve muscle tension and facial tension due to the growing size of the belly.
Chiropractic has techniques for helping a breech child to be turned. They are effective about 97 percent of the time, and involve an adjustive technique and exercises that mom can do at home. Chiropractors are aware of many of the annoying "symptoms" of pregnancy, and can help with many of them. Your Chiropractor can be extremely helpful in making sure that both the mother and the child are healthy.
Are adjustments safe during pregnancy?
Adjustments are safe during pregnancy. There is a minimal risk with any adjustment, but that risk is not increased by pregnancy. Chiropractors go thorough exams to discover what the problem is and help determine if adjustments will be safe and beneficial for each patient.
During pregnancy there are many different ways in which we adjust so that the uterus, and the child, are not put under unnecessary pressure. There are techinques such as the Webster Technique, that we use to help make space for a baby to find a better position. There are adjustments that can be done seated or standing as well as lying down. The chiropractic table is adjustable so that the mother can lay comfortably face down without any pressure on her belly. Most moms find this to be a very relaxing position especially since it has usually been a while since she could lay face down.
Anrig, C. A., D.C. and Plaugher, G., D.C. (1998). Pediatric Chiropractic. Baltimore, Maryland:Williams & Wilkins.
Fallon, J., D.C. (1994). Textbook on Chiropractic & Pregnancy. Arlington, Virginia: International Chiropractors Association.
Moore, P.R., D.C. and Radler, M., D.C. Chiropractic Care for Women
.Hudson, T., N. D. (1999). Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine. Los Angeles: Keats Publishing.
Kelly Chiropractic, P.A. in Wayzata, Minnesota, serves patients from the Twin Cities - Minneapolis West Metro area including Bloomington, Edina, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, St. Louis Park, Golden Valley, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, St. Paul, Anoka, Shakopee, Hastings, Eagan, Burnsville, Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope, Robbinsdale, Hennepin County, Anoka County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, and Wright County.
Thank you for visiting the Kelly Chiropractic, P. A. web page. Please note that the information located on our site is not intended to provide specific chiropractic advice. You should consult with a chiropractic doctor and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific condition. We welcome the receipt of electronic mail. Please be advised, however, that the act of sending electronic mail to this office or to Dr. Gwendolyn E. Kelly-Kohnke, DC does not alone create a physician-patient relationship. We will neither accept requests for chiropractic advice or treatment nor offer specific chiropractic advice over the internet. The information here is presented for general information purposes only and is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice.