How to Relieve Prenatal Hip/Pelvic Pain
Overview
When pregnant, a hormone called relaxin is in your body to help your pelvis relax and get ready to give birth. Unfortunately, it can cause some women to experience hip, pelvis, and low back pain. A trochanteric belt is a helpful solution for many pregnant women!
Level
Beginner
Targets
Hip, pelvis, lower back
Step by Step Instructions
- Stand upright and locate the widest part of your hips (mid-buttock level).
- Wrap a trochanteric belt around this area—not around your belly (it’s not a belly band).
- Fasten the front of the belt so it sits snug across the mid-portion of your pelvis.
- Tighten the rear straps, then the side straps (if your belt has them) to “squish” the hips in and create a stable, secure fit.
- Check placement: hips, mid-buttock level; shoulders relaxed; belt not riding up onto the abdomen.
- Test it immediately by walking up and down or marching in place to see if your hips feel more supported and pain decreases.
- Adjust tension or position as needed and retest until it feels stable and comfortable.
- Use during standing and walking as needed; if you want guidance or to confirm fit, visit the clinic or order a belt to try at home.
[Video Transcript]
We see a tremendous number of prenatal patients at Mind Body Spine, and one of the biggest complaints is hip or pelvic pain. That area around the hips is often very sore and tender, and the low back can be sore as well. One reason for pelvic or hip pain is a hormone called relaxin that circulates during pregnancy. Relaxin is designed to prime the pelvis for delivery by loosening the joints so the baby can pass through the birth canal more easily. The problem is that it can create so much mobility that the pelvis can feel like it’s spreading open. A quick trick that may help is using a trochanteric belt, a Velcro belt meant to tighten and stabilize the hips (it’s not a belly band). Place the belt around the widest part of your hips, not your abdomen, and pull it snug. Many belts have straps that tighten from the back and the sides; secure them so the belt sits across the mid-portion of your pelvis, roughly the middle of your buttocks, to “squish” everything back in. You’ll know quickly if it helps: walk up and down or march in place to test it. If you’d like to see whether this works for you, you can visit Mind Body Spine or order a belt to try for your hip-related pain.
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