Back Strengthening Exercises for Pregnant Women

According to statistics, almost 80% women suffer from back pain at some point in their pregnancy. The severity of pain is wide. Some women experience mild pain and discomfort after standing for an extended period of time, while others suffer from debilitating pain, which may also interfere with their daily routine. There are many reasons, which give rise to back pain. The back strengthening exercises for pregnant women help in reducing the pain. Many women would rather not exercise, however the gentle stretch provided by the exercises helps in decreasing muscle spasms.

Back Strengthening Exercises to be Done during Pregnancy

Stretching exercises practiced during pregnancy help the muscles to warm up. When you are doing these exercises, if you notice any kind of pain or discomfort discontinue the exercise immediately. Let's see the exercises to strengthen lower back.

Exercise # 1
To do this back exercise for women, sit on an exercise mat. Keep your knees bent and cross your ankles. Now gradually bend forward slightly. When you bend down make sure you keep your back straight but relaxed. Stay in the position for a couple of seconds and slowly come back to the starting position. You can get into this position whenever possible during any time of the day.

Exercise # 2
This is a great back strengthening exercise especially for the lower back. It helps to keep the lower back flexible. To do this exercise, lie on any side. Now gently bend your knees. Lift the knee of the leg on top towards your shoulders. Hold the position for a few seconds, before you lower your leg and repeat the exercise on both the sides 5 times each.

Exercise # 3
This is one of the best back exercises, which should be done sitting on an exercise mat. Bend your knees and place your feet together. Hold your ankles and gently bring your feet closer to your body. Now place your hands, such that the knees rest on them. Inhale as you try to press your knees against your hands and counteract this by pressing your hands up against your knees. Hold for a couple of seconds before you release and repeat the exercise.

Exercise # 4
This is one of the must do exercises for pregnant women. This is one of the exercises included in the Kegel exercises. It helps to work the pelvic work, thereby reducing the pressure off the back. To do this exercise, try to pull the muscles around the vaginal area up. To understand this better, try to stop the flow of urine, when you urinate. When you do this exercise, make sure you do not feel any movements in your buttocks, thighs, or abdominal region.

Walking is also one of the pregnancy exercises which you opt for during the time of your pregnancy. It is safe as well as beneficial to practice the walking exercise. Make sure you start walking slowly. Increase the time gradually. Along with walking, you can also opt for swimming. It is said to be one of the safest exercises for pregnant women. There are also a number of yoga exercises, which can be practiced during pregnancy. However, it is better to practice the yoga poses under the guidance of a health care professional to avoid any complications.

Before you do the back strengthening exercises during pregnancy, it important to talk to your health care professional. Your obstetrician and gynecologist will be in a better position to prescribe the appropriate exercises for your condition. When you are doing these exercises, it is important to continue to breathe and not hold your breath. Holding the breath can have adverse effects on the health of the baby. Hence, it is important to breathe regularly.