Improve Low Back Pain Postpartum
Once you had your baby, you thought the low back pain would get better, but instead, it felt worse. Leaning over to change a diaper, doing the dishes, or trying to sleep on your stomach leaves you with a throbbing backache.
I get it; after two babies in two years, my back was fragile, and I needed some help to get rid of my constant back pain. I determined the source of my low back pain and implemented these exercises consistently, significantly improving how my back felt during the day. I felt like a new mom that could care for her baby and get housework done without being in constant pain.
While I still don’t like doing the dishes, it’s no longer because of my back pain. If you’re suffering too, try these out and see the difference.
Why Does My Low Back Hurt Postpartum?
You may experience low back pain after giving birth due to poor posture, weak core muscles, or both.
During pregnancy, your stomach was much larger and pulling on your back muscles to help support your belly. This tightens your low back muscles and creates a laxity in your abdominal muscles. Postpartum moms don’t realize this and stay in the posture developed over the last nine months of distending the belly and tightening the back muscles.
Once you deliver your baby and your stomach starts to shrink, your abdominal muscles are stretched out and weak. Since your abdominals connect to your back and work together, the weakness of your core will affect your back muscles from working properly, and that’s when you start to notice discomfort in your back.
It makes a majority of mom tasks very difficult. Picking up the baby, doing dishes, and cleaning the house become an uphill battle. But it doesn’t have to stay that way!
To fix this, you need to tighten the core muscles again, relax your back muscles and improve your posture. These four exercises for a few minutes each day can help get you back to feeling great and crushing it as a mom.
What Helps Low Back Pain After Pregnancy?
Strengthening your lower back and abdomen is the most efficient way to combat lower back pain. If you solely work on lower back exercises but lack recruiting your abdomen, you won’t get as much relief.
For example, doing back extensions will certainly build your lower back however, we typically only focus on back recruitment in this exercise.
An exercise like planks utilizes the core but requires you to engage your lower back. Exercises that combine abdominal activation and lower back strength will help you eliminate back pain for good.
How Long Will It Take To Heal Low Back Pain Postpartum?
The severity of weakness and commitment to these exercises will determine the length of time it takes to restore strength. Committing to these exercises daily should help relieve some of your back pain in as little as two weeks. Eliminating low back pain can take as little as a few months.
If you still struggle with low back pain after a few months, you should reach out to a pelvic floor physical therapist for a customized assessment and treatment plan.
Low Back Strengthening Exercises After Birth
Each exercise does not require any equipment and can be done right at home. Practice these movements in the small pockets of your day and see the difference they will make in your strength and stability.
I try to take 10 minutes before my kids get up for the day and knock them out, or if I plan to work out, I’ll work on them before my scheduled exercise.
Bridge With Abduction/Adduction:
- Lying on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, exhale and engage your abdomen, and keep your low back flat.
- Lift your hips into the air and squeeze your glutes together to feel them activate.
- Bring your knees together to touch for 2 seconds and then out wide for 2 seconds.
- Work to keep your butt from falling during each rep.
- Repeat for 10 reps and 2 sets.
Bridge March:
- Lay on your back with feet flat on the floor, exhale and engage your abdomen, keeping your low back flat.
- Lift your hips into the air and squeeze your glutes together to feel them activate.
- With hips lifted, alternate marching one foot off the ground, and avoid dropping your hips tilting to the side.
- Repeat for 10 reps and 2 sets.
Donkey Kicks:
- Starting on all fours, exhale navel to spine and keep your abdomen engaged.
- Keeping weight even between your hands and one knee bent, kick your foot up towards the ceiling and back down.
- Avoid overarching your back; you want to stay in a tabletop position throughout the movement. Also, keep your hips parallel to the floor.
- Repeat for 10 reps and 2 sets.
Elevated Plank:
- Begin by leaning your hands on a box or elevated surface. (chair, couch, wall, etc.)
- Lengthen your legs so your body is in a straight line, exhale, pull your belly to your spine, hold for 15 seconds (or for as long as you can keep your TA engaged), then relax down.
- Repeat 3 times.
Strengthen Your Back Postpartum
Practicing these exercises consistently will transform the way your back feels and your core. After having kids, it’s hard to feel like yourself, so adding a few exercises each day is a small time commitment that will yield amazing results.
If you’re looking for a more structured workout to heal your core postpartum, check out my two-week postpartum plan. It’s gentle enough to begin as soon as you feel ready and can jump-start healing your core so you can get back to working out effortlessly.