El embarazo puede venir acompañado de muchos dolores y molestias que suelen ser una parte normal del proceso de gestación. Pero aunque probablemente esperes que te duelan los pies, o la espalda, puede que experimentes dolor en una zona del cuerpo que te sorprenda: los hombros. Parece inesperado, después de todo, tus hombros están un poco lejos de toda la acción. Pero entre elseis y el ocho por ciento de las mujeres reportan dolor en el hombro como parte de los síntomas del embarazo.

La buena noticia es que hay muchas cosas que puedes hacer en tu casa, ejercicios suaves y estiramientos, para sentirte mejor. El dolor de hombro durante el embarazo también suele desaparecer cuando nace tu bebé. Pero eso no significa que tengas que esperar para sentir alivio. 

Sigue leyendo para saber más sobre por qué se produce el dolor de hombro durante el embarazo y cómo tratarlo, con ejercicios recomendados por nuestros fisioterapeutas de Hinge Health. 

Causes of Shoulder Pain During Pregnancy

Here are some of the most common reasons you may experience shoulder pain during pregnancy:

• Increase in relaxin. Your body produces more of a hormone called relaxin during pregnancy. Why? It’s to help loosen pelvic ligaments in order to prepare the body for childbirth. But it doesn’t just target the pelvis, it relaxes all of the ligaments in your body, including your shoulder ligaments. This can cause muscle strain and pain. In fact, research has found a link between higher relaxin levels and a greater chance of developing shoulder instability.

• Posture changes. When you’re pregnant, your center of gravity moves forward. “As your breasts enlarge with pregnancy, your shoulders are pulled forward and rounded,” explains Sarah Kellen, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. Over time, this can cause strain and shoulder pain even in early pregnancy.

• Lifting differently. As your little one grows, it can become harder to lift or carry things. You may find that you need to carry things on your side instead of in front of you. In some cases, this may add strain on your shoulders. 

Other Causes of Shoulder Pain During Pregnancy

Most of the time, shoulder pain is due to musculoskeletal pain and is nothing to worry about, reassures Dr. Kellen, but it’s worth mentioning to your doctor. You should also be mindful of the following symptoms, which could indicate a potentially more serious condition:

• Ectopic Pregnancy: Pain that’s localized at the tip of your shoulder (where it meets your arm) can be a sign of ectopic pregnancy if it’s accompanied by vaginal bleeding, lower back pain, and abdominal cramping.

• Preeclampsia: Shoulder pain that’s accompanied by severe headache that won't go away, changes in vision, shortness of breath, right sided upper abdominal pain (usually under the ribs), nausea/vomiting, or swelling in hands and face, could be a sign of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure.

• Gallstones: Pain between your shoulder blades could be a sign of gallstones, especially if it’s accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting. Gallstones tend to be more common among pregnant women.

If you notice any of the above symptoms, don’t panic, and don’t ask Dr. Google. Just call your physician and they’ll let you know what your next steps should be.

How to Relieve Shoulder Pain During Pregnancy

There’s a lot you can do to relieve shoulder aches and pains during pregnancy. These include:

• Exercise therapy. If you notice shoulder pain during pregnancy, you may be tempted to limit upper body movement. But just like during any other part of life, movement is medicine during pregnancy too, says Dr. Kellen. Focus on exercises that strengthen your shoulder and upper back muscles (see below). This will take pressure off your shoulder joints and help to relieve pain. Activities like swimming and yoga can also help to strengthen the muscles around your shoulders and relieve discomfort.

• Physical therapy. A physical therapist (PT) can guide you through stabilizing and strengthening exercises for your shoulder and upper back muscles. These will help make your shoulder joint more stable and address your pain. 

• Heat. A hot water bottle or warm shower will increase blood flow to the affected shoulder, which can help relax tight shoulder muscles.

• Over-the-counter-pain relievers. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) has been shown to be safe to use during pregnancy. Always check with your doctor before you use it.

• Massage. It may help loosen tight muscles, says Dr. Kellen. Just make sure you get doctor approval first, and that you find a therapist experienced with prenatal massage. Acupuncture has also been shown to be safe during pregnancy, and may help relieve shoulder pain.

How Physical Therapy Helps

“Physical therapy is a first-line treatment for shoulder pain during pregnancy, since so much of the discomfort is musculoskeletal,” says Dr. Kellen. “Our goal is to get your shoulder and upper back muscles moving and stronger to provide more support to your shoulder joints. Once we do that, pain will naturally decrease.”

During physical therapy, a PT can assess your movement patterns. “We want to see how you walk, lift, and carry things,” explains Dr. Kellen. “There may be ways to tweak these movements to make it easier on your shoulder muscles and joints during pregnancy.” A PT will also look for other muscle weaknesses in your upper body and core that may contribute to extra stress being placed on your shoulders. “Once we understand how your body and muscles are functioning, we can customize a strengthening and stretching program that you can do at home,” says Dr. Kellen. 

You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health to access a PT via telehealth/video visit. Some exercises they may recommend can be found below.