Many pregnant women suffering back pain

July 24, 2007

Nearly half of all pregnant women suffer back pain - physios conference to discuss issue

Nearly half of all pregnant women suffer low back and pelvic pain, the New Zealand physiotherapists conference will hear in Rotorua next month.

Conference organiser Duncan Reid said at least 45 percent of pregnant women suffer pain to some extent.

Physiotherapists attending the NZ Manipulative Physiotherapists Association biennial conference in Rotorua on August 24 and 25 will hear the latest strategies to help women sufferers.

``The back and pelvic pain after delivery may be slow to resolve and in some cases may not completely resolve,’’ he said.

He said Annalies Pool, a physiotherapist from the Netherlands, has found that exercises to improve the strength and control of the muscles that support the lower back, pelvis and pelvic floor can significantly improve common complaints.

Reid said many women may not be aware of the benefits of exercises as hospital stays following birth are quite short.

``The problems can often be made worse in the early months of being at home with lots of bending to change nappies and lift small children. Pelvic floor and bladder control are often affected if the mother has given birth naturally.

``However even mothers who had had caesarean sections are not immune to problems as operations involve cutting through the abdominal muscles which need rehabilitating also,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Peter O’Sullivan, a physiotherapist from Perth, will talk about the benefits of treatment targeted to groups of patients with similar a type of pain which is more effective than just providing general treatment strategies.

Stuart McGill from Canada will provide information on muscle strengthening regimes for the lower back muscles.

Dr McGill will also talk about how to rehabilitate elite athletes such as rowers, cyclists and weight lifters. This will be of interest given New Zealand’s recent success at the world cup rowing events in the lead up to the world championships in Europe.

Reid, a physiotherapist from AUT School of Physiotherapy, said low back pain is the most common injury for rowers in all age groups.

Reid, a former physiotherapist to NZ Rowing, said that the prevalence of low back pain among rowers is much higher than in the general population due to the high stresses on the back during the rowing stroke and the long hours spent sitting in boats.

Efforts to reduce the cost to New Zealand taxpayers’ lower back pain will also be a key issue discussed at the conference.

Low back pain is a major contributor to loss of work productivity both in New Zealand and across the world. ACC spends in excess of $130 million a year treating back pain related injuries.

Hundreds of experts and conference delegates from all over New Zealand will also hear the latest research in the areas of mechanical loading, bone quality, bone strength, exercise prescription and the clinical implications of the findings.

ENDS

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