4 reasons for shoulder pain during pregnancy

Pregnancy comes with a lot of physical changes. These changes sometimes come with discomfort throughout the body, including the shoulders. If you’re experiencing shoulder pain during your pregnancy, physical therapy may help reduce your discomfort and improve your physical fitness.

Shoulder pain is fairly common. Around 16% of the global population experiences shoulder pain, according to one systematic review. If you’re pregnant, you may be even more likely to experience pain in your shoulder. Although your shoulder pain might not seem directly related to your pregnancy, there may be some connections. All the systems in your body are deeply interconnected; something that seems to affect one part of your body may actually have smaller effects on many connected parts. Understanding the connections between your pregnancy and your shoulder pain can offer insights into your condition and help you identify the causes of your discomfort. If you want to pinpoint the cause of your pain, a physical therapy assessment can be highly beneficial.

4 causes that could be behind shoulder pain during your pregnancy

1. Changing posture — As your pregnancy progresses, you might start to change your posture to accommodate your shifting center of gravity. Each postural change may seem insignificant — you may not even notice that your posture is changing. Over time, though, your changing posture can affect your physical functioning. Your posture may start to put excessive strain on your back, neck and shoulders. This can lead to pain and tension. If postural changes are behind your shoulder pain, correcting your posture may help you find relief. A licensed physical therapist can help you practice proper posture and gait, reducing the pressure on your shoulders.

2. Sleeping position — Your sleeping position can have a big impact on your physical comfort throughout the day. While sleeping on your back is typically the best position for maintaining proper alignment, this can become difficult during pregnancy. Experts recommend sleeping on your side (particularly the left side) when you’re pregnant, to reduce pressure on your organs and optimize circulation. However, this can put strain on your shoulders, especially if you’re lacking proper pillow and mattress support. To address this, you can start using more supportive bedding. Pregnant women often use pregnancy pillows, which are large full-body pillows designed to provide comfort and reduce strain while you sleep.

3. Hormonal changes — Pregnancy changes the balance of hormones in your body. In some cases, this can lead to discomfort. One common culprit is the hormone relaxin. Relaxin functions to prepare your body for childbirth by relaxing your muscles, ligaments and joints. While relaxing the pelvic muscles can be essential for delivery, relaxin can cause instability in other parts of the body. When the tissue around your shoulder becomes too relaxed, your shoulder might not get the support it needs to function properly, which can lead to aches and pains. To minimize the instability caused by hormonal changes, your physical therapist might recommend low-impact aerobic exercises.

4. Referred abdomen pain — Pregnancy often leads to pain and tension around the abdomen. While this discomfort is typically localized, it can sometimes lead to pain in other areas. One relatively common cause of abdominal discomfort during pregnancy is round ligament pain. The round ligaments are bands of connective tissue that help support the uterus. Pregnancy can put excess stress on these ligaments, leading to sharp pain that may radiate to other parts of your body. This pain often radiates into the groin and thighs. While it may not radiate all the way to your shoulder, it can create tension throughout your core that indirectly contributes to shoulder discomfort.

Tips for relieving shoulder pain during your pregnancy

With the right approach, you can maintain your health and manage any discomfort that arises as your pregnancy progresses. If you’re looking to alleviate shoulder pain, being proactive is key. Here are some tips for finding relief:

• Stretch often.

• Get plenty of rest.

• Seek professional treatment when needed.

Find shoulder pain relief and maintain your health during your pregnancy with help from KC Rehab

Relieving your shoulder pain can be essential to maintaining your quality of life during your pregnancy. At KC Rehab, we can help you address your shoulder pain and any other physical symptoms that arise. Our expert physical therapists will work with you each step of the way, helping you maintain your health through your pregnancy and beyond.

Contact our team today for more information about prenatal physical therapy or to schedule an initial appointment.