Treating Back Pain After A C-Section

More than 1 in 5 deliveries in the US are performed using a Cesarean section technique, meaning hundreds of thousands of women will be at risk for back pain after giving birth this year. We want to use today’s blog to explain why C-section delivery and back pain may be connected, and how you can prevent and overcome back pain if it develops after childbirth.

Why C-Section Can Lead To Back Pain

As we noted in the introduction, pregnancy can lead to a lot of changes in a woman’s spine, so it’s not just the C-section delivery that can be hard on your spine. Vaginal delivery requires significant stress on your pelvis and lower spine, so it’s not like one delivery method is significantly easier on your spine. With that said, we’re going to focus on why the C-section delivery can lead to back pain.

• Pregnancy Hormones – Your body creates hormones that make soft tissues more lax and flexible to aid in the delivery process. It does this in anticipation that you’ll be having a vaginal delivery, even if you plan on going through with a C-section delivery. The release of these hormones means soft tissues that stabilize your spine, hips and pelvis can’t as easily support these structures, which can lead to back pain. These hormones tend to normalize after delivery and soft tissues can once again better support these areas, but regardless of your delivery method, these hormones can cause back pain before and shortly after delivery.
• Core Muscle Weakness – Your core muscles play a crucial role in supporting your spine, and these muscles are more likely to be damaged due to the incision that is made in order to perform the C-section delivery. Also, these muscles can weaken a bit after delivery because you will need to be protective of the incision site and your abdomen as you recover from childbirth. A weak core can put more strain on your lower back and areas like your sciatic nerve, which can make you more susceptible to pain. You’ll want to work to strengthen your core muscles following a C-section delivery.
• Motherhood Duties – You’re going to be exhausted and uncomfortable after a C-section delivery, but that’s not going to stop you from performing your motherly duties. Your care team will want you to take it easy, especially until the anesthesia wears off, but standing, moving, bending and breastfeeding your baby all will be uncomfortable after a C-section delivery. If you’re trying to make these movements while being protective of your incision site, you may end up putting extra strain on your spine, and that can lead to discomfort. Try to take it easy in the first few days after your C-section and work to have ideal posture when breastfeeding or holding your baby so that your spine isn’t shouldering additional stress.

If you’re hoping to prevent or treat spinal discomfort after your C-section, consider connecting with a spine specialist like Dr. Sinicropi. He can set you up with some physical therapy exercises to improve your core or talk with you about some safe exercise programs you can pursue during or after your pregnancy to protect and strengthen your spine. Back pain develops in more than half of all pregnancies and deliveries, but you can try to limit this discomfort by working with a spine specialist or a physical therapist in your area. For more information, give Dr. Sinicropi and his team a call today at (651) 430-3800.

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