Trimester-appropriate care
Positioning and technique adjusted as the pregnancy progresses, including side-lying treatment when lying flat is no longer comfortable.
Physiotherapy
Pregnancy-Related Back Pain Relief
Back pain in pregnancy is common. That is not the same as unavoidable.
- 45 minutes
- Session length
- 4 to 8 sessions
- Typical course
- Any trimester
- Suitable from
Overview
Carrying a pregnancy changes your centre of mass, softens ligaments through relaxin, and asks the pelvis and lower back to work in an entirely new alignment. Pain through the lower back, the pelvis or the pubic joint is the result, and it is common enough that it is often dismissed as simply part of being pregnant.
It usually responds well to treatment. Care here is adapted by trimester — positioning, technique and exercise selection all change as the pregnancy progresses — and is built around what you actually need to keep doing: sleeping, walking, working, and caring for other children.
Consider this if
- Lower back pain that has built through the second or third trimester
- Pain at the back of the pelvis, on one or both sides
- A sharp pain at the pubic joint when walking, climbing stairs or turning in bed
- Difficulty finding any comfortable sleeping position
What it does
Pregnancy-Related Back Pain Relief
Pelvic girdle relief
Manual therapy and targeted support for sacroiliac and pubic symphysis pain.
Sleep and mobility
Practical positioning, support strategies and movement patterns for turning in bed, stairs and getting in and out of a car.
Prepared for after
The same assessment carries into postnatal recovery, so nothing has to be started from scratch.
Inside a session
Assess
Pelvic and lumbar screening in positions that are comfortable at your stage of pregnancy.
Relieve
Gentle manual therapy and soft-tissue work, adapted for pregnancy throughout.
Support
Belt or taping guidance where the pelvis needs external support, and how to use it correctly.
Teach
Safe movement for daily tasks, plus exercise you can do at home at this stage.
Common questions
Is physiotherapy safe during pregnancy?
Yes, when it is delivered by a physiotherapist experienced in pregnancy care. Techniques, positions and exercise selection are all adapted, and anything unsuitable at your stage is simply not used.
Should I just wait until after delivery?
There is no benefit in waiting. Pelvic girdle pain that is managed during pregnancy is generally easier to resolve, and it makes the last trimester considerably more comfortable.
Can I still exercise?
In most pregnancies, yes — and it helps. We set what is appropriate for you, in consultation with your obstetric team where anything needs clearing.
This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. What is right for you is decided at assessment. If your symptoms are severe, worsening quickly, or follow an injury, seek medical care first.
Also in this discipline
Not sure this is the right one?
That is what the first consultation is for. Ninety minutes of assessment before anything is recommended — including recommending nothing.