Why Should You Twist During Pregnancy?
NOT Twisting During Pregnancy could mean:
- Lower back pain
- Midback pain
- Pelvic girdle pain
- Tailbone pain
- Constipation and pelvic floor issues
- Labor stalls
Your Spine is MEANT to Twist and Rotate
The reason we should twist during pregnancy is that we need to MOVE our spine and hips! Our upper back (thoracic spine) and hips are MOBILE joints and NEED to move to function properly. If we avoid twists, other joints need to increase their mobility to compensate… and this could mean discomfort in places that are meant to be stable such as the low back.
So, lack of movement (aka twisting) in the upper back and hips = low back pain.
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Your Pelvis NEEDS Internal Rotation and Closed Hip Positions to Stabilize the Pelvic Girdle Joints
Another reason we NEED to twist and find closed hip positions during pregnancy is that our pelvis needs internal rotation and closed hip positions to stabilize the pelvic girdle joints.
The hip’s range of motion includes a LOT–it’s a very mobile joint. And we need the muscles supporting the hip to be strong throughout their entire range of motion. If the surrounding muscles are NOT strong throughout their entire range of motion, we may find that we have pelvic pain.
For example, when we are walking, we find both internal and external rotation at the hip. When you put weight into the stance leg, that hip internally rotates. If you always favor external rotation, you may compensate and AVOID internal rotation which may alter your stabilization pattern (aka could cause pain), or you may not be able to stabilize in internal rotation because you avoid it all the time (and could also cause pain).
So, yes, we need to twist as a part of our hips’ normal, and necessary, range of motion. If we do not find internal rotation at the hip or closed hip positions (aka twisting at the hip), we may find that we have more pelvic pain. And introducing internal rotation and closed hip positions could resolve pelvic pain.
Your Pelvic Floor NEEDS Internal Rotation
During pregnancy, we tend to favor external rotation at the hip and open hip positions, so if we never find internal rotation, we could be increasing a muscular imbalance of the pelvic floor and surrounding musculatures, such as the glutes and hamstrings.
If we always favor external rotation at the hip and open hip positions, this pelvic position is shortening the posterior half of the pelvic floor. Tighter back half of the pelvic floor could mean tailbone pain, constipation, pelvic girdle pain, and other pelvic floor issues.
Our pelvic floor, similar to other muscles, is meant to move through a range of motion. But, if we are always in one position (because we are afraid of moving during pregnancy), we may end up causing this uneven tension in the pelvic floor.
Your Pelvis NEEDS Internal Rotation
We also need internal rotation at the hip to OPEN the lower half of the pelvis. If we cannot find internal rotation, it could make it harder for baby to finish their rotation under the pubic bone and it could result in a labor stall!
We need to be able to find external rotation, internal rotation, and asymmetrical movement patterns in the hip to create space at every pelvic level.
Plus, your pelvic position relies on your rib cage position too! The pelvis and the rib cage mirror each other to support our dynamic movement. So, in addition to being able to find all these different movements with our hips, we also need to be able to find a lot of different movements with our rib cage (and spoiler, one of them is rotation and twisting).
So, yes, you need to twist in preparation for birth!
How to Safely Twist During Pregnancy?
When twisting during pregnancy (and other times during our lives), we generally want to avoid twisting at our lower back/belly area. The lumbar spine is meant to be rigid and stable, not super mobile.
Rather, focus your twisting in areas that are meant to be mobile: upper back and hips.
We can include internal rotation and closed hip positions with our single-leg movements, such as reverse lunges. At the bottom of the lunge, think rotate belly to thigh to find a closed hip position. And then at the top of the lunge, you can rotate to find an open hip position. If you have pelvic girdle pain with single-leg movements, you may find that incorporating internal rotation alleviates the pain due to increased stabilization.
If you are having trouble with finding or feeling internal rotation, we can use external props to help us feel the movement, such as a band pulling the leg outward or pressing the inside of the knee into a foam roller.
Twisting During Pregnancy is SAFE
In summary, YES you should twist and find closed hip positions during pregnancy. The well-meaning (but incorrect and outdated) advice of NEVER twist and only find open hip positions is problematic. If you NEVER twist or find closed hip positions, you may end up with more issues, such as pain during pregnancy (pelvic pain, low back pain, tailbone pain…), pelvic floor issues (constipation to start), and potentially labor stalls due to decreased space in the lower half of the pelvis!
We NEED to twist and move our spine and hips during pregnancy to not only support a comfortable pregnancy, but also to prepare for birth!
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