When you think of the physical changes and issues postpartum you may think pelvic floor dysfunction, diastasis recti (DRA), low back pain, urinary leakage, but no one talks about neck pain postpartum!
Neck pain? Postpartum? Yes! Believe it or not, neck pain after having a baby is very, very common! Let me explain.
During pregnancy, as your baby is growing by the day, your rib cage widens, your little one is pushing your internal organs up into your ribcage making it harder for you to utilize what is called the diaphragm, your main breathing muscle (which is tucked under your ribcage). This in turn requires more of our neck muscles to kick in to help us with breathing. Overtime, your neck muscles are overworked. The adverse discomfort or pain you are feeling are likely your body’s way of saying….my neck muscles are overworked!
Neck pain after pregnancy is also heavily influenced by our posture and the repetitive movements we do when caring for our little ones, many times a day.
We as moms, engage in quite a bit of forward movements with our upper body…. holding, carrying, lifting, reaching, feeding, pushing a stroller, loading the stroller into the trunk, the list can go on. We do this over and over again throughout our day. We also spend lots of time looking down…. at our little ones, time on the phone and or working on the computer which alone is a straining position for our neck. And, at some point our neck muscles become strained, thus the pain.
Also, keep in mind that the lack of sleep, hormonal changes, the adjustment in new routine, etc are also important factors to our healing process.
But, I have good news which is that neck pain postpartum is treatable! Here are my professional thoughts on treating postpartum neck pain. Other than neck pain,
Be extra mindful of your posture!
Focus on stability, strengthening and lengthening exercises. My thoughts on this…..it is so worth having a physical therapist investigate and identify your weakness and strengths, that way you know what to work on. I also think it is SO important to learn how to correctly activate certain muscles, efficiently & correctly to not re-trigger your symptoms! Once you have a strong understanding of how to move, how to activate and the do’s and don’ts, the sky can be the limit!
Check to see if your diaphragm is working like it should! Your diaphragm is not only your primary breathing muscle but also has so much influence with your pelvic floor (issues such as incontinence, prolapse and even pelvic pain) and DRA because it helps manage the pressure within your trunk. Your pelvic floor muscles, core muscles and diaphragm work in sync. Thus, how you manage pressure makes a big difference in helping or rehabilitating these issues.
In the meantime, you can do these things at home!
When breastfeeding or even bottle feeding, use a breastfeeding pillow so it provides support to your arm. Make sure it is not compromising your baby’s safe feeding position.
Be mindful of how much time you are looking down with activities such as the phone.
If you are working on the computer most of the day or sitting, try to get up every 30 mins as much as possible.
Try a cold or heat pack to help manage the pain.
Remember, the suggestions on this and other blog posts on this website is not to be used as substitution of medical advice given by your provider. The information on this website is also not to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease but for educational purposes only. It is best to consult with your medical professional.
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