Strength During Pregnancy
Stay in Shape for Baby and You
Pregnancy is a beautiful time in any family's life. It is also a time that is highly strenuous on a woman's body. It is therefore widely advised to stay active and strengthen your muscles to help support the baby and additional weight. With my certified medical training and specialized experience, I can help you and your baby to grow strong, safe, and with minimized discomfort which comes due to additional carrying of weight.
Understanding How Pregnancy Affects Body
YOUR BODY CHANGES
Anatomical and physiological changes during pregnancy can affect the musculoskeletal system at rest and during exercise. The most obvious of these is weight gain. Increased weight in pregnancy can significantly increase compressive forces across joints such as the hips and knees, sometimes by as much as 100% during weight-bearing exercise such as running. Such large joint loads may cause discomfort in normal joints and increase damage to arthritic or previously unstable joints.
Because most of the weight gained is located in the lower abdomen, pregnant women typically develop an accentuated lumbar lordosis (curvature in the lower back), which contributes to the very high prevalence of low back pain. Balance may be affected by changes in posture, predisposing pregnant women to loss of balance and increased risk of falling.
Another important musculoskeletal change during pregnancy (particularly the third trimester) is an increase in ligament laxity, leading to an increased risk of joint instability. This increased laxity is caused by elevated hormonal levels, specifically estrogen and relaxin. The effects of these hormones are particularly prevalent in the pelvic region - the area of the body which must adapt the most to successfully deliver a baby - contributing to the incidence of low back and pelvic pain. Overall, this change in joint laxity can predispose pregnant women to an increased incidence of strains and sprains.
EXERCISE
Exercise prescription for the development and maintenance of fitness in non-pregnant women consists of activities to improve cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal status. This normally involves specific combinations of both resistance training with weights and cardiovascular (or aerobic) exercises. Exercise prescription in pregnancy should include the same elements. Aerobic exercise can consist of any activities that use large muscle groups in a continuous rhythmic manner-for example, activities such as walking, hiking, jogging/running, aerobic dance, swimming, cycling, rowing, cross country skiing, skating, dancing, and rope skipping.
