Chiroblog

With the rise of elite athletes competing in high-intensity and sometimes contact sports, it raises the question of what is truly safe for pregnant women? The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology currently recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week during pregnancy. This should include both aerobic and resistance training. Exercise during pregnancy has been shown to demonstrate significant positive effects for the mother including but not limited to reducing weight gain and its subsequent effects, alleviating and preventing musculoskeletal pain, shortening labor and delivery, and reducing the risk of an emergency c-section. While exercise does not seem to have a direct effect on the fetus, it has been shown to potentially reduce fetal distress during labor. More importantly, exercise has not been shown to have any negative effects on a fetus during a low-risk pregnancy.^1-2 It is also important to note that the upper limits of how much exercise intensity a pregnant mother and fetus can tolerate safely is currently undetermined. However, special concern should be given to competing in high fall-risk or impact activities, high heat and humidity, and exercise at elevation >6000ft.³ In short, if your obstetrician has given you the clearance to exercise during your pregnancy, most exercise and athletic activities will be well-tolerated by both mother and baby, especially in well-trained adults going into pregnancy. Remember, chiropractic is your best bet to achieve healthy maximum performance!  But, if you are concerned about a specific activity or any symptoms you are experiencing while exercising, always consult your healthcare team immediately.^1-3

References:

1. Perales M, Santos-Lozano A, Ruiz JR, Lucia A, Barakat R. Benefits of aerobic or resistance training during pregnancy on maternal health and perinatal outcomes: A systematic review. Early Human Development. 2016;94:43-48. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2016.01.004

2. Albright E. Exercise During Pregnancy. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2016;15(4):226-227. doi:https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0000000000000277

3. Cooper DB, Yang L. Pregnancy And Exercise. PubMed. Published April 17, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430821/

With the entire world watching the 2024 Olympic Games play out in real time, one major talking point has become women competing in the Games during their pregnancies. In fact, Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez and Azerbaijani archer Yaylagul Ramazanova both competed while seven and six-and-a-half months pregnant, respectively. In addition, marathon runner Maegen Krifchin competed at the 2024 US Olympic Trials at 7 months pregnant and heptathlete Lindsay Flach competed in the 2021 US Olympic trials at 18 weeks pregnant. While novel in the second and third trimester, women have been competing in the first trimester for many years. For example, US volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings competed in the 2012 Olympic Games while 5 weeks pregnant and tennis superstar Serena Williams won the 2017 Australian Open while 8 weeks pregnant with her first daughter.

So, how can chiropractic care help? Chiropractic care during pregnancy has been shown to demonstrate decreased low back and pelvic girdle pain (in an average of 4.5 days), reducing neck and shoulder pain associated with postural changes from pregnancy, and decreasing overall musculoskeletal pain.^4-6  Chiropractors are uniquely capable of helping pregnant patients move better overall and with less pain. Discomfort during pregnancy is one of the main reasons women cite for not completing an exercise regimen,^7-8so in summary, chiropractic care keeps you moving throughout your pregnancy!

References:

4. Stuber KJ, Smith DL. Chiropractic Treatment of Pregnancy-Related Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2008;31(6):447-454. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.06.009

5. CONNER SN, TRUDELL AS, CONNER CA. Chiropractic Care for the Pregnant Body. Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2021;64(3). doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/grf.0000000000000621

6. Weis CA, Pohlman K, Draper C, daSilva-Oolup S, Stuber K, Hawk C. Chiropractic Care for Adults With Pregnancy-Related Low Back, Pelvic Girdle Pain, or Combination Pain: A Systematic Review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2020;43(7). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2020.05.005

7. Skjold I, Benvenuti MB, Haakstad LA. Why do so many pregnant women give up exercise? An Italian cross-sectional study. Women’s Health. 2022;18:174550572211179. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221117967

8. Coll CVN, Domingues MR, Gonçalves H, Bertoldi AD. Perceived barriers to leisure-time physical activity during pregnancy: A literature review of quantitative and qualitative evidence. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2017;20(1):17-25. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2016.06.007

Chiropractic care has shown promising positive benefits for children with autism, providing a complementary approach to traditional treatments. One of the key advantages is the improvement in the neurologic function. Chiropractic adjustments focus on correcting spinal misalignments. These misalignments or subluxations can decrease the nervous system’s ability to communicate effectively. For children with autism, brain-based chiropractic care can result in better sensory processing and improved motor skills. Studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care, combined with exercises to extinguish primitive reflexes, can lead to significant gains in coordination, communication, and overall behavior. These improvements can profoundly impact a child’s ability to engage with their environment and participate in social interactions, contributing to a higher quality of life. 

One article that discusses the positive effects of chiropractic care plus extinguishing primitive reflex exercises is Dr. Rubin’s article, “Combining Chiropractic Care with Extinguishing of Primitive Reflexes: A Case Series of 8 Children.” This study detailed eight children with various neurodevelopmental issues who received a combination of chiropractic care and exercises aimed at extinguishing primitive reflexes. Four of these cases were handled in a chiropractic university clinic, while the other four were treated in private practices. Each child had previously been diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions, and gentle, brain-based chiropractic care was given to ‘reconnect the disconnections’, while exercises were recommended to reduce retained primitive reflexes. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with seven of the eight children showing significant improvements. These improvements included enhanced coordination, better social interactions, increased independence, and improved academic performance. The study concludes that integrating chiropractic care with primitive reflex exercises could be highly beneficial for children with neurodevelopmental issues. You can find this article here, http://bit.ly/2RyUGnf or visit https://www.theadjustment.com/page/dr-rubins-published-articles.html for more information.