I could hardly walk – the issue that affects 1 in 5 mums

When Rebecca Middleton became pregnant, she had no idea she would be in a wheelchair for the final three months before she gave birth.

Rebecca had a difficult first trimester, due to nausea and nausea, and began developing pelvic pain four months into her pregnancy.

“I could barely walk, I’ve always had problems with lower back pain in my life. But nothing too serious and it escalated quite quickly,” she says.

After complaining about the pain, she was referred to an NHS physiotherapist and was eventually diagnosed with an extreme case of pelvic girdle pain (PGP), also known as pubic symphysis dysfunction.

Pelvic joint problems are a common symptom of pregnancy, affecting one in five pregnant women to some extent.

“I was terrified. Would I walk again? How would I have my baby, how would I take care of her?”

After giving birth, Rebecca was in less pain, but she still had difficulty doing basic things like walking, lifting her son or pushing a pram.

“I was disabled for seven months and had to have someone helping me the whole time,” she says.

“I just couldn’t do the things you should be able to do to take care of a baby, it was a really difficult time.”

Before becoming pregnant, it was a problem Rebecca was unaware of and since her experience she has volunteered for The Pelvic Partnership, a charity which helps raise awareness and support for women with the condition.

It indicates that the disease can be treated with the right action.

As soon as your symptoms appear, the charity advises you to undergo personalized treatment, including manual therapy, and to seek a referral for NHS physiotherapy from your GP or midwife.

If this help is not initially offered to you, the association suggests consulting your GP or midwife and seeking a second opinion.

They can also refer you to maternal mental health support to help you manage the emotional impacts of living with PGP.

Women’s health specialist Dr Nighat Arif says increased awareness and early assessment could prevent patients like Rebecca from needing wheelchairs or crutches.

“Without this early identification based on a very good understanding of the female body, we leave some of these women with lifelong negative effects,” she says.

Victoria Roberton, coordinator of the Pelvic Partnership, is an example of how awareness can help.

Like Rebecca, she didn’t know what PGP was when she started suffering from the condition during her first pregnancy.

She tried to stay as active as possible as advised and was referred to NHS physiotherapy sessions online and over the phone, but found the pain got worse as her pregnancy progressed.

“They gave us exercises, stretches to do. At that point, I couldn’t do any more. It was too painful,” she said.

It got to the point where even sitting became uncomfortable for Victoria, and she remained largely housebound until her baby was born.

The pain subsided after the birth of her daughter, but she started experiencing the same problem when she became pregnant with her second child.

It’s not an option for many mothers, but Victoria said that given her medical history she decided to pay for a private physiotherapist as the wait for an NHS referral was long.

The physiotherapist gave her a comprehensive assessment and hands-on treatment, including joint mobilization, and taught her different ways to move her body to avoid aggravating her hip joints, which helped relieve the pain.

Victoria still suffers from some degree of PGP today, four years later, but her second pregnancy was much easier to deal with because she understood her condition and how to manage it.

Rebecca’s second pregnancy was also a much more positive experience.

This time, she knew she was at risk for PGP and was able to get treatment throughout her pregnancy before it became debilitating.

She fully recovered from PGP, just two months after birth, compared to two years for her first child.

“I’m probably in better shape now than I was before either of my children because I now know what caused this pelvic girdle pain and I have completely treated and resolved it with manual therapy,” she says.

“It was five years of hell because of the pain I felt from a lack of knowledge and understanding on the subject.”