And while it’s a beautiful journey, it can also come with its challenges and a range of physical discomforts. For example, some common pregnancy-related complaints we see in clinic include back pain, circulation issues, headaches, and stress-related pain.

We know, and the research shows us, that Soft Tissue Therapy can offer much needed relief during this time so whether you’re a first-time parent or looking forward to the arrival of another child, regular soft tissue therapy treatment throughout your pregnancy will help relieve aches and pain, improve circulation, and much more.

Join us as we explore what this service entails and all the benefits it offers.

The SMA – Association for Soft Tissue Therapists, one of the UK’s leading associations for the profession – describes Soft Tissue Therapy as the management, manipulation and rehabilitation of soft tissues of the body including muscles, ligaments and tendons.  

This is also known as the musculoskeletal system, and it has a strong influence on our body’s other systems, including the nervous system, immune system, lymphatic system to name just a few.  

For example, in the nervous system there’s evidence from both observational and experimental studies suggests that receiving regular massage from 36 weeks of gestation until birth may promote oxytocin- and opioid-induced analgesia during labor and delivery. Additionally, a 10-minute relaxation massage in non-pregnant women, as well as breast massage by newborns in mothers, has been shown to stimulate oxytocin release from the neurohypophysis. 

Also the lymphatic system plays a vital role in the immune system by transporting white blood cells and detecting infections. Massage can enhance this process by promoting the movement of lymph, helping immune cells circulate more effectively throughout the body. This supports the body’s natural defences and aids in fighting off illness. 

By manipulating the muscles and fascia surrounding the bones and joints, Soft Tissue Therapy can support rehab programs by helping to increase the range of movement by reducing stiffness that often develops as a result of pain or injury. 

There are numerous benefits of soft tissue therapy during pregnancy, but the main areas that the majority of our patients see us for include: 

A study in 2019 found that pregnant women in their second trimester reported that massage therapy effectively alleviated their discomforts. This finding aligns with research by Woolston (2016), which suggests that massage helps relax muscle tissue, reducing painful contractions and spasms. 

Additionally, massage can relieve nerve compression caused by contracted muscles. When these muscles are relaxed, the surrounding nerves are no longer compressed, which allows them to receive proper nutrients and function more efficiently. This improvement in nerve function enables better communication between the brain, muscles, and organs, leading to overall enhanced performance. 

Massage has been linked to improvements in self-image during pregnancy, helping women accept the physical changes they undergo. The well-researched relaxation effects of massage also benefit the foetus, as it stimulates endorphin production and lowers blood pressure through its positive effects on the parasympathetic nervous system. This reduction in blood pressure may help lessen the severity of pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.  

A 2010 review by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, drawing on multiple studies from their team and others, found that massage therapy can lower heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and decrease cortisol levels. Additionally, a functional MRI study showed that massage therapy increases cerebral blood flow in several brain regions involved in stress and emotion regulation, including the amygdala and hypothalamus. These findings suggest that massage therapy may influence the autonomic nervous system, cortisol secretion, and emotional processing through hypothalamic regulation.  

Moreover, the same study points to a potential underlying mechanism we have been investigating: the role of increased vagal activity in mediating these effects. Research shows that vagal activity rises immediately after massage therapy and remains elevated with repeated treatments. This boost in vagal tone is likely triggered by the activation of pressure receptors, which are connected to vagal afferent fibers. These fibers send signals to the limbic system, including hypothalamic regions responsible for regulating the autonomic nervous system and cortisol release. Cortisol is essential for managing the body’s stress response, controlling blood sugar levels, maintaining blood pressure, and reducing inflammation. 

Soft tissue therapy has also been shown to improve circulation, sleep patterns, and overall well-being. It increases energy and vitality while reducing chronic back pain, lowering anxiety, and boosting mood in women experiencing premenstrual syndrome. Studies indicate that massage therapy during pregnancy can help reduce anxiety, alleviate muscle aches and joint pains, and improve sleep quality. 

In short, no. The word ‘massage’ covers a range of physical therapies and serves many, many purposes. The main difference to note is that Soft Tissue Therapy is a clinically acknowledged area of Sports Medicine and involves treatments designed to reduce pain, support recovery, and enhance performance, which is why you’ll often see a Soft Tissue Therapist in many professional athlete’s teams.   

At Pure Sports Medicine, we design our system of care similarly to a pro athlete in that we build a team of healthcare professionals around you to reflect what you need, and pregnancy is no different than if you were to come to us with a knee injury or looking to perform better in your chosen sport. Every stage of life brings physical challenges so having a team to support you through pregnancy will only benefit you and your family in the long run.  

Whilst there are many benefits to receiving a massage during different stages of pregnancy, experts generally recommend starting prenatal massage in the second trimester, as most miscarriages occur in the first trimester. Therefore, we would recommend that if you have previously experienced issues in your first trimester to wait until after your 12-week scan to have any soft tissue therapy treatment. 

Pregnancy massage is an important part of learning massage therapy. The materials used to teach pregnancy massage include advice and warnings. They say that massage in the first three months of pregnancy, if done the wrong way or in the wrong place, might cause problems like miscarriage. 

People often explain the risk of miscarriage from massage in three ways: 

• Massage changes the mother’s body and this affects the baby 
• Massage can harm the baby or placenta 
• Massage in early pregnancy might cause contractions 

Even though there are no clear studies to prove this, what we know about pregnancy and miscarriage does not show that massage increases the chance of miscarriage. On the other hand, if a person feels relaxed from massage, it can help their mental health and lower stress, which is good during pregnancy. 

As we say with all things, there is not a one-size-fits-all rule here, so if you are having or have had soft tissue therapy in your first trimester and it has worked for you there is no reason to stop. If you are curious, you can always speak to a healthcare professional to gather more advice to make an informed decision for your circumstances. 

In later stage pregnancy you may suffer from swollen legs and/or ankles, and massage treatment can be an effective way to help reduce the swelling by encouraging your body’s lymphatic drainage system. 

Oedema is when extra fluid builds up in your body, making parts of it swollen. This happens because your body keeps too much fluid. Massage helps your lymphatic system work better to drain the extra fluid. Getting massages regularly can help stop the swelling from coming back. 

During an initial appointment, your clinician will begin by conducting a thorough history and assessment including range of movement, and muscle and soft tissue tone in order to plan your treatment effectively.  

The treatment itself will vary depending on the outcome of your assessment, for example, some techniques will involve movement whereas others may not, and your therapist will reassess the treatment plan throughout based on your feedback and progress.  

At each of our clinics, we have a pregnancy pillow which fully supports you and baby whilst allowing you to lay face down. Throughout your treatment, your therapist will suggest different treatment positions to ensure that you, and your baby, are comfortable. For example, this can include seated and laying on your side. 

Our team of soft tissue therapists specialise in a range of different treatments to support you, and where needed are able to employ the help and support of other clinical specialists from our multidisciplinary team.  

If you experience any symptoms that are not easing, or pick up an injury during your pregnancy, we can refer you, quickly and easily, to a Physiotherapist, Sport & Exercise Medicine Consultant, Osteopath, or other appropriate specialist, along with information regarding your circumstance, history, and treatment up to that point.  

After you’ve had your baby, and the midwife or GP has discharged you, a follow up soft tissue treatment will help you to avoid backache from breast feeding and carrying your new-born.  

If you’ve had a caesarean section, once your scar has fully healed, targeted work around and on the scar can help reduce scarring and improve the health and mobility of the tissue. It’s important to only start scar tissue mobilisation after the wound has completely healed — meaning stitches have dissolved or been removed, all scabs have fallen off, there’s no oozing or discharge, and the surrounding area isn’t swollen or red. Typically, this will be at least 6 to 8 weeks after your baby’s birth. 

Scar massage is one of the most commonly recommended treatments for managing scars. By increasing blood flow to the area, massage raises the tissue temperature, which can improve elasticity and make it easier to break down scar tissue. This process helps reduce any restrictions caused by the scar. 

Additional benefits of scar massage include: 

• Enhanced blood circulation 

• Release of hormones such as oxytocin 

• Activation of mechanotransduction (molecular signalling within the scar), which supports remodelling of the scar tissue 

Soft Tissue Therapy is an excellent preventative treatment to ease muscle tension and postural discomfort while your body undergoes many changes during and after pregnancy and therefore can be beneficial to both the mother and the foetus. 

Pregnancy is a time to take care of yourself and even if you and your body are coping well and experiencing few or no painful symptoms, a soft tissue treatment is a specific time for you to relax, unwind, and care for your physical and mental wellbeing.   

References:

• NHS Foundation Trust . (2022, January 2). Scar tissue mobilisation for perineal scars and caesarean … NHS Royal Berkshire . https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/1kzkbb30/physio-scar-tissue-mobilisation-for-perineal-and-cs-scars.pdf 
• Lavina Cullen. (2024, December). How massage helps swollen hands and feet during pregnancy → Weald chiropractic. Weald Chiropractic & Wellness . https://www.wealdchiropractic.co.uk/how-to-massage-swollen-hands-and-feet-during-pregnancy/ 
• Fogarty, S., Werner, R. ., & James, J. L. (2023). Applying Scientific Rationale to the Current Perceptions and Explanations of Massage and Miscarriage in the First Trimester. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Research Education &Amp; Practice, 16(1), 30–43. 
• Field, T. (2010). Pregnancy and labor massage. Expert Review of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 5(2), 177–181. https://doi.org/10.1586/eog.10.12 
• Kimber, L. et al. (2008) ‘Massage or music for pain relief in labour: A pilot randomised placebo controlled trial’, European Journal of Pain, 12(8), pp. 961–969. doi:10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.01.004. 
• Bastard, J. and Tiran, D. (2006) ‘Aromatherapy and massage for antenatal anxiety: Its effect on the fetus’, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 12(1), pp. 48–54. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2005.07.001. 
• Fogarty, S. et al. (2019a) ‘The side effects and mother or child related physical harm from massage during pregnancy and the postpartum period: An observational study’, Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 42, pp. 89–94. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2018.11.002. 
•  El-Hosary, EmanA., Abbas Soliman, H.F. and El-Homosy, SamahM. (2016) ‘Effect of therapeutic massage on relieving pregnancy discomforts’, IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 05(04), pp. 57–64. doi:10.9790/1959-0504025764. 

Would you like to book an appointment, or find out more about how Soft Tissue Therapy can support you during pregnancy? Speak to a member of our Soft Tissue Therapy team.