Pre-Pregnancy Exercise Linked To Less Pelvic Pains

Everyone knows that regular exercise has several benefits, that is why everyone is encouraged to incorporate exercise into their daily routine. Aside from losing weight, getting fit and active, a routine exercise can ease pelvic pain that often occurs during pregnancy, according to a new study.

According to U.S. News, a regular exercise of three months prior to conceiving can help women avoid "pelvic girdle pain." Pelvic girdle pain refers to the constellation of joint and ligament pain that often comes during pregnancy. For 2 to 3 percent of women, this pain can endure up to a year after the delivery.

Pelvic girdle pain has been associated with depression and higher number of sick leaves during pregnancy, Fox News reports.

The researchers learned that the pain typically occurs in  the rear region of the pelvis as well as at the juncture where the pubic bones meet up with  the front section of the pelvis.

So, how can women avoid this pain?

To answer the question, the researchers led by Dr. Katrine Mari Owe, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health analyzed the data of over 39,000 women who had been enrolled in a national study between 1999 and 2008 that followed the health of mothers  and children.

During the clinic visits, when the women were about four months pregnant, they answered questions about the type and frequency of exercises they did in the three months before they conceived.

Over half of the women admitted that they exercise at least three times a week, only seven percent said they did not exercise at all. Almost all of those who exercised prior to their pregnancy were still doing so at about four months gestation.

When the women were about 7.5 months pregnant, about 1 in 10 reported pelvic girdle pain, including 1 in 8 of those who had no exercise.

Those who experienced the pain tended to be less healthy, they either smoke, was overweight or have a history of depression or lower back pain before pregnancy.

On the other hand, those who did not feel any  pain were those who exercise three  to five times per week before becoming pregnant. Those who engaged in high impact exercise like running, jogging, playing ballgames/netball, high impact aerobics or orienteering were the least likely to report pelvic  pain.

"What was surprising to us was that even women who exercised only once or twice a week (before pregnancy) had lower risk of developing pelvic girdle pain compared to those who did not exercise at all," Owe said.

"Though the long-term effect of exercise on pain remains unclear, women who exercise regularly pre-pregnancy are more likely to continue throughout pregnancy," she added.

The study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.