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By Megan Cornish, Pre/Post Natal Myotherapist I would like to first and foremost start this blog by talking about the idea of pregnancy related musculoskeletal aches and pains being “a normal and common part of pregnancy”. And while that may be so for the majority of pregnant women, my biggest pet peeve is when prenatal ladies are told that their back and/or hip pain is “normal” and to basically deal with it til the baby comes out. No further pain management strategies or options are discussed, and mama's are left concerned and in pain without a plan, and that in my opinion is a disservice to all women! I am writing this blog to solidify that just because these types of muscular aches and pains are frequent occurrences during pregnancy, you absolutely do not have to just ‘put up’ with the pain. Pain management strategies are definitely out there if needed - myotherapy being one of them - and I want ALL women to feel empowered to utilise these strategies as needed to feel the absolute best they can for the duration of their pregnancy. Please never feel that you need to just power on through pain.  For the purpose of this blog we will learn why muscle and joint pain is common during pregnancy particularly in the lower back and hip regions. We will also look into how myotherapy works to reduce and manage pain as well as other alternatives and options available to you.
So why is it that the soft tissues of the lower back and hips get so sore? The most common regions to get affected by musculoskeletal aches during pregnancy are hip joints and surrounding muscles and the lower back. An element of the reason why this happens is going to be due to the growth of your baby throughout pregnancy and the pressure/added weight that this brings to the joints themselves. Wherever there is excess strain or pressure on our joints our muscles automatically guard to protect that joint - this will be the source of the pain. Another element to why you might experience pain in these regions is going to be because muscle relaxant hormones become involved, these hormones - relaxin and progesterone - cause a softening of tendons and ligaments surrounding the pelvis/lower back to prepare your body for the physical act of giving birth. As a result of the increasing laxity of these joint stabilisers muscles again begin to guard to compensate and protect the joints. How does myotherapy help to reduce and manage my pain? If you’ve had a massage or myotherapy treatment before you probably already know how amazing your body feels during and after the treatment. Its a very safe and effective way to manage and treat pain during pregnancy and works in a few ways to ease your discomfort. Massage releases muscular tension During your massage a few biomechanic functions are stimulated which is what is going to make the physical change to the musculoskeletal tissue as well as rewire the way your brain is processing the pain you are experiencing . Massage will release muscular tension by stimulating blood flow and increasing circulation to the muscle tissue. Endogenous opioids which are your “feel good” hormones also get released and therefore interrupt the pain cycle. The inflammatory response is our body’s healing response which is also triggered during the massage. Advanced Pain Relief Techniques Advanced techniques like dry needling and cupping are mighty helpful during pregnancy, and when they are used by a Myotherapists who are well educated on pre natal care they can provide a great amount of relief. We can use techniques like dry needling for reaching deeper into your glute muscles without needing to be heavy handed, and this can be incredible when you have sciatic pain or that build up of pressure around your pelvis and sacrum. Calm the CNS (Central Nervous System) Our central nervous system consists of our brain and spinal cord, this is how our body receives, responds and processes sensory information. During the massage sensory receptors carrying messages of sensation to the brain are calmed and therefore relaxing muscle tissue and reducing pain. Safely lay on your tummy! We have excellent pregnancy therapy cushions that allow you to safely lay on your tummy and protect your growing bump and sensitive breasts. All our mama’s simply love to be able to spend some time supported and face down, plus its a great position for us to really effectively manage back, neck, shoulder and hip pain. Taping your pelvis Pressure and instability in the joints of the pelvis are some of the most common complaints, especially when baby is becoming big! Taping can help to offload some of the pressure around your pelvis, or to support it if you’re starting to feel a bit wobbly, pinchy or unstable. Are there any other available strategies that I can utilise? There are also other ways that pain in pregnancy can be managed as well, this could be any or a combination of the following. Yoga and Exercise Recent studies of the benefits of movement throughout pregnancy show positive effects on reducing and managing pain while pregnant as well as improved general overall health and wellbeing. Yoga and gentle stretching are great ways to ease muscular discomfort and exercise will work to increase blood flow and support healthy muscle tissue. Thermotherapy (Heat Therapy) This is an easy and accessible way to get relief from pain at home, warm baths and warm wheat bags are able to be utilised to address muscle pain as this allows for opening of blood vessels to increase blood flow to the soft tissues. However with this management strategy please note we want WARM but not HOT. It can be potentially dangerous for bubs if a mothers internal body raises too much which is why hot tubs and spas are not advised. If you are ever unsure about this strategy consult your treating practitioner before use. Mindfulness and Meditation Mindfulness and Meditation exercises along with breath work are great techniques and strategies to use to manage pain. The body and mind are intertwined, especially when it comes to experiencing pain and discomfort. Studies have shown that a heightened nervous system can influence a person's overall experience of pain. By practising mindfulness and/or meditation your nervous system will relax and muscle tissue will follow, therefore decreasing pain. Pain management strategies are out there and available to be used to treat and manage pain experienced during pregnancy. Ladies! Please NEVER feel ashamed or hesitate when seeking these out. As I mentioned earlier the biggest thing I would like you to take away from this blog is just because pain is a common and usual part of pregnancy, this does not mean you have to just power on through! Do you need help from a Myotherapist who has a great understanding about pre and post natal bodies? Thats me!! Book a time to see me for pregnancy care, I'm here 5 days a week. Simple Wellness Myotherapy is located at Shop 12B/150 Kelletts Rd, Rowville VIC 3178. Additionally, you can contact us on (03) 8204 0970 to arrange an appointment today. Does this sound familiar?
These can be signs of hip bursitis, which is an inflammatory condition that can be a very common cause of hip pain. The good news is that we help people with this all the time, and we can get you started on a treatment program to help reduce the pain and build up the strength in your hip!  What is Bursitis?
Bursitis is the name of a condition where the bursa in your joints become inflamed. Bursa are the fluid-filled sacs that help cushion joints and reduce friction as the joint moves. Healthy bursa are important in pain free movement. When the bursa becomes inflamed it swells and becomes highly sensitive. The joint doesn't move easily, and the muscles surrounding it can become painful and tight trying to protect the joint. Bursitis can cause acute pain that increases with physical activity. If the inflammation remains active for a long time, the pain can progress to a chronic state. What causes hip bursitis? The most common causes of bursitis are things like overuse or strain on the hip joint. This can happen through a high level of exercise or activity, or through repetitive unbalanced activities like holding a baby on one hip, or leaning your weight to one side to avoid pain in other areas like your lower back, knee or ankle. Other causes can be less common things like infection or gout within the joint. People with autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can be more vulnerable to developing this inflammatory condition. How can we help? Remedial massage and myotherapy can help relieve painful symptoms of hip bursitis. We can reduce muscle tension around the hip joint, and assess the other areas above and below the painful hip so that we can address any issues that are contributing to your bursa becoming irritated. Taping for stability and support can be very useful, and can help relieve pain for longer. We can give you a program of exercises to gradually strengthen your hip without increasing the irritation. Book a time with us to get the ball rolling. Should I see a doctor? If your hip pain has been ongoing for quite some time, it can be a good idea to check in with your doctor. Your GP can advise you if a course of anti inflammatory medication will be helpful for you, or you can ask your pharmacist for an over the counter recommendation for symptom relief. We're lucky to be located inside Together Medical Family Practice in Knoxfield, where you can get access to a fully Bulk Billed GP in the clinic with us and an understanding pharmacy team downstairs. If you have joint pain, chances are that hydrotherapy is going to be a huge help to you. A hydrotherapy pool is a warm water pool for doing exercises. Its quite different from swimming laps, although a lot of people find that swimming can be helpful too, if its not painful to do it. Can’t swim? It doesn’t matter, a hydrotherapy pool is usually quite shallow, it usually doesn’t have a “deep end” where you can’t touch the bottom. Our local hydrotherapy pool is at Knox Leisureworks in Boronia. The centre has a lot to offer, actually. There is the hydrotherapy pool, as well as a kids pool, a regular lap pool, a spa and sauna, and an onsite gym.  So why is Hydrotherapy such a great option?
Buoyancy – Being in the water takes the pressure off the joint due to the water supporting your body weight. This makes it a great option for weight bearing joints like hips, knees and ankles, especially following injuries or surgeries like hip and knee replacements or fractured bones. Warmth – Heated hydrotherapy pools allow muscles to stay warm and relaxed while exercising. Typically a hydrotherapy pool is heated to about 33*, warmer than a normal swimming pool. Low Impact – Unlike running, doing exercises in water is friendly on vulnerable joints. The water doesn’t allow you to move as fast as in air, so the force of impact is less than running or jogging on a hard surface. Resistance – The water provides great resistance for strengthening the body, without feeling painful. It can be tiring afterwards due to the resistance of the water, though, so starting with short sessions is best. Low Cost – Knox Leisureworks has a great hydrotherapy pool. You can access the hydro pool with your standard pool entry fee of around $8, or if you plan to go frequently they have multi visit passes or memberships. What kinds of pains or conditions does it work well for? Hydrotherapy is fantastic for helping with pain in big joints and weight bearing joints, like hips, knees and ankles. Lower back pain can respond very well to hydrotherapy because of the way the water helps take pressure off the spine and support the weight of the body while you move. It can also be great for things like arthritis, and rehabilitation after a fracture or surgical repair. It can be great for general fitness, too! How do you get started? Initially just walking through the water can be really helpful. You can also include day to day movements like bending and straightening your knee or hip while standing with you back against the pool wall for support. You can use a floating board or pool noodle to hold onto and do gentle squats or lunges. If you’re uncertain, talk to us about specific pool exercises at your next appointment and we can help create a program tailored for you. An aching hip can throw off your whole day. You might have slept on a funny angle, or it might be an old injury flaring up. Whatever the cause, hip pain can leave you limping and uncomfortable throughout the day. Any hip pain that lasts more than a couple of days needs to be assessed by a qualified myotherapist. But if you can’t get in for a massage and myotherapy treatment straight away, here are some tips to ease your sore hips.  Gentle exercise and movement
Even when you’re sore, even a little bit of movement is often a good idea. By moving your body, you can encourage blood flow to repair any damage and improve mobility. But when it comes to a sore hip, moving without pain can be tricky. That’s why I recommend non-weight bearing exercise in a pool or lying down. Start gently by circling your leg and hip within a range that isn’t too painful. This can improve the mobility of the hip and decrease the pain sensitivity. As a myotherapist, I can not only assess and treat your pain. I can also recommend specific exercises and movements to rehabilitate the joint. Yin yoga Another gentle form of movement is yin yoga. Unlike other forms of yoga, yin is very slow and involves more gentle, restful postures. Yin yoga uses different props so that you can hold poses within a comfortable range of movement for your body. If your hip pain is quite strong right now, you may find a class to be too much until after you've had some treatment. But if your pain is a recurring issue then a regular yoga class as a way to manage your pain and prevent flare ups is a fantastic option. I love Ananda Yoga in Belgrave. You’ll often find me at Kerry’s Yin Yoga classes on Tuesday and Sunday morning. Kerry is the absolute best! Her classes are all about moving in a way that feels good and a lot of her classes use things like spiky massage balls to help you release tight muscles yourself. You can check out their website here. Topical treatments Creams and gels can provide temporary relief of pain, even for deep pains that come with a sore hip. There are plenty of good options on the market. My favourites are:
Heat Every injury is different. But many people find that using heat for muscular pain brings more relief – and is more comfortable – than ice. So chuck on a heat pack if you have one, or pick one up at the clinic. Or jump into a hot shower and do some gentle stretches, moving your body slowly through any ‘good pain’ spots. If you can, slide into a nice warm bath with a book and a cup of tea. As a bonus, add some Epsom salts – they are incredibly relaxing and are a source of muscle-relaxing magnesium. Which suggestion you take does depend on the injury and your pain levels. If your hip is aching, tight and generally sore, you could probably use any of these, or all of them! But if your hip pain is sharp and significantly reducing your mobility, your best bet is to use topical treatments, and book in to see a practitioner, stat. Has your hip pain been getting you down? I offer sessions throughout the week, including evenings and Saturdays, so that you don’t have to suffer through the pain. To book in an appointment, click here. |
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Shop 12B/150 Kelletts Rd, Rowville VIC 3178 |
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