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“Research is revealing that shifts in the structure of the spine can be improved following chiropractic care” stated Dr. Matthew McCoy, a chiropractor, public health researcher and editor of the journal that published the study. McCoy continued “This case adds to the body of scientific literature suggesting that chiropractic should play an important role in managing women with structural spinal shifts during and after pregnancy.”
According to the authors of the study, research reveals that up to 76% of women experience pregnancy-related low back pain. Unfortunately, the condition is not self-limiting to pregnancy and many women continue to suffer in the postpartum period. It’s estimated that approximately 80% of women will report complaints of low back pain and pelvic pain in the postpartum period.
McCoy stated “Abnormal structural shifts of the spine are not only associated with back pain but because these shifts lead to obstruction of the nerves it can lead to poor general health and decreased physical, emotional and social function. Normal spinal structure provides shock absorption and leverage, which protect the spinal cord and nerves from the forces of gravity and other daily traumas one may encounter.”
Research has shown the effectiveness of chiropractic to restore a healthy spinal structure thereby lowering the risk of degeneration and poor health. According to the authors of the study, health care professionals should appreciate, focus and understand the daily experiences of women with pelvic girdle pain in the postpartum period to help improve care strategies for these patients.
The woman reported on in the study was a 33-year-old female who presented to the chiropractor with a primary complaint of low back pain that began three years prior while pregnant with her first child. The pain was now constant. The patient stated that her OBGYN informed her that she was not capable of having a vaginal birth due to her pelvic diameter being too small for a natural childbirth and as a result she had a Cesarean section.
The chiropractic examination and x-rays revealed structural shifts in her low back and neck. These structural shifts can lead to obstruction of the nerves and it is this obstruction, called vertebral subluxations, that chiropractors correct.
The chiropractor adjusted her spine, her low back pain resolved completely and the structural shift in her low back improved based on a follow-up x-ray.
The study’s authors called for additional research to investigate the clinical implications of chiropractic in pregnant and post partum patients.
Contact Information:
Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – Chiropractic