Have you ever heard the old riddle: What crawls on four legs in the morning, walks on two legs in the afternoon, and walks on three legs at night? The answer, as you may already know, is man. It refers to the life cycle we, men and women, go through – infancy, adulthood and old age.
What the riddle focuses on “man,” what it neglects to focus on is woman; the vessel in which life is harbored. As women our bodies go through more changes than our hair changes color. Puberty can cause a girl’s body to gain weight, add height, and spread hips; imagine the the pressure placed on the spine as it quickly stretches in a short period of time.
In the years to come, women can become pregnant, bringing on a host of new problems, starting with sciatica. As the round ligament of the uterus stretches, it pushes on the nerves located in the base of the spine causing shooting pain down the legs. As pregnant women gain weight, their posture changes to support the weight placed on the front of the body.
Once the baby is here, back pain appears to be on its way out. However, there’s a hauling 25lb. carseat with a 12 lbs baby inside. The awkward side carry can cause ribs to shift, neck pain and overcompensation in the back. In addition, placing a sleeping baby in and out of beds and Pack and Plays or lifting a squirming toddler can causing overextension in the upper body or lower back.
Remember the other old saying, “You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself?” Visit the Back Pain Clinic Belleville if you’re experiencing back, neck or joint discomfort caused by pregnancy or motherhood. You can trust Dr. Fast to take a cautious approach to treatment that gives relief and not add stress. Make an appointment today by calling 618-234-5200 or go to backpainclinicbelleville.com.