Case study: Relaxin Hormone and Pregnancy

32 year old female reports to clinic with sharp, spasming pain into her left glute that has been ongoing for 2 weeks. She feels like her leg can give out and sometimes it will hurt to walk. She is also 26 weeks pregnant.

After detailed history and exam it was found that patients pelvis was hypermobile and her glutes had tightened up to compensate for this change. This is also why she felt worse after stretching. Relaxin is pregnancy hormone that normally kicks in later into pregnancy to allow mobility of the pelvis and relax the ligaments to allow space for the baby to move through the canal. In her case, Relaxin had started to kick in sooner making her pelvis overly mobile.  

She received a chiropractic manipulation and was told to stay away from stretching, continuing working on glute strengtheners and use a belly band.

2 weeks later she reports back to clinic and is feeling significant relief and is staying compliant with her treatment plan.