THE “Mom Posture” & HOW TO FIX IT.
by Alison Brunson, PT, DPT, CSCS, PCES
It’s typical for postpartum women to have pain or aches in their mid back.
Why? Mom posture.
Rounded shoulders, forward head position, pushing hips forward. This could happen when you are feeding the baby, working at the computer, holding the baby, bending over, etc.
What’s happening to the muscles?
It’s very weak serratus anterior and pec major muscles with an overcompensating pec minor muscle. The serratus becomes weak from not being utilized, and the pec muscles become tight due to overcompensations. Think about when you are feeding the baby: often your back muscles are stretched while you hunch over and chest muscles are overworking to hold up the baby’s weight. As the muscle becomes tighter, it will pull at this attachment causing winging. The serratus wraps around the ribs and attaches to the scapula, pulling it back into place. But it’s not being pulled back into place, instead you see your shoulder blades sticking out.
With chronic “mom posture”, your serratus is most likely weak and not able to pull it back. Postpartum women may have shoulder impingement, pain, or tightness due to imbalances with these muscles.
The pec minor is one muscle used during accessory breathing. During pregnancy, it is common for breathing to become harder which is why our body will rely on the accessory muscles for help. As you transition into postpartum, the diaphragm may still be weak or inconsistent, so the pec minor continues to assist - already overcompensating from poor posture. You can test yourself: place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. Watch yourself in the mirror and see which hand moves more. If your chest is moving more, that shows the accessory muscles are working in overdrive (pec minor!). By practicing proper diaphragmatic breathing, you will reduce the stress on the pec minor.
What can I do at home?
Relieve stress from a tight pec minor muscle
Here are a few releases to try for a tight pec minor. Watch THIS YouTube video from Dr. Oliver - he has a great explanation on how to isolate the pec minor (vs. pec major) during stretches.
Lacrosse ball release: Bent elbow at 90*
Doorway Stretch
Foam roller arms in “T”
Activate serratus anterior
Push Up Plus
Wall Slides
Practice diaphragmatic breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing / 360* Breathing
More information:
The serratus anterior interconnects with the external obliques. It is considered a main connection between the core and upper extremities.
Which is why you see a lot of exercises that include both serratus and abdominal work.
(Examples: Bear Crawl and Dumbbell Pullovers)
It’s important to include serratus into abdominal exercises! It plays a big role postpartum to improve DRA, back pain, shoulder pain.
Disclaimer—
Alison Marks Brunson Physical Therapy PLLC owns and manages this Website. The information provided on this Website is not medical or professional healthcare advice. It is only for informational and educational purposes. Please contact your primary care provider to discuss your health concerns, diagnoses, or treatments. In a medical emergency, call 911. Your website-related activities and communications do not create a provider-patient relationship between you and us and do not create a duty for us to follow up with you. To learn about our services, please contact us directly.
