Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Pregnancy changes how your body carries weight, and your spine and pelvis feel it first. Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas sees expecting mothers for low back, pelvic, hip and leg pain, and the rib and mid-back ache of the last trimester. Dr. Bradley Keys uses gentle, modified techniques during pregnancy, and we coordinate with your OB or midwife so everyone caring for you is on the same page.

What pregnancy back and pelvic pain feels like

Most pregnant patients describe one or more of these:

• A dull, deep ache across the low back that is worse by the end of the day.
• Pain at the back of the pelvis that flares when you roll over in bed, climb stairs or get out of the car.
• Sharp or burning pain from the buttock down the back of the leg, which most people call sciatica.
• A pulling or stabbing feeling low in the belly or groin when you stand up fast or cough (round ligament pain).
• Aching between the shoulder blades or along the lower ribs as the baby grows up into the rib cage, plus headaches and neck tension from changed posture and broken sleep.

Most of it builds through the second and third trimesters as the belly grows.

What is usually going on

Three things happen at once. Your center of gravity shifts forward, so the low back arches more and the spinal muscles work harder to hold you upright. The hormone relaxin loosens the pelvic ligaments so the baby can pass through, which is good for delivery and hard on the sacroiliac joints. And the added weight loads the spine, hips and feet a little more every week.

Leg pain in pregnancy is usually the pelvis and buttock muscles irritating the sciatic nerve, not a disc. Rib pain is usually the rib joints along the spine stiffening as the rib cage expands. None of this means something is wrong with the pregnancy. It does mean the joints and muscles are under more stress than usual, and they often respond well to hands-on care.

How we treat it at Tradewinds

Dr. Keys adapts the technique to the stage of pregnancy and how you feel that day.

• Side-lying and supported positioning so there is never pressure on the belly. We have pregnancy pillows and a drop-away table on site.
• Low-force adjustments to the pelvis, sacroiliac joints and low back. No high-force work on or near the abdomen.
• Gentle adjustment of the mid-back, ribs and neck for the posture pain that builds in the third trimester.
• Soft tissue work for the buttock, hip and low back muscles that tighten as the pelvis shifts.
• Stretches, positions and sleeping advice you can use at home, in the car and at work.

Dr. Keys is not Webster certified. For pregnancy he uses modified Diversified and low-force techniques. You do not necessarily need clearance from your OB before starting care in the first trimester, though we always want to know about anything your OB has flagged. We do not take x-rays during pregnancy.

We ask who your OB or midwife is at the first visit and will communicate with them if you want us to. If anything suggests your provider should see you before we continue, we say so.

Dr. Keys is the Chair of the Virgin Islands Board of Chiropractic Examiners, a member of the Virgin Islands Chiropractic Society, and the International Chiropractors Association representative for the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has cared for St. Thomas families since the clinic opened in April 2018.

A first visit is described at what to expect, and the full service list is at all services. See also our lower back pain and sciatica pages.

After the baby arrives

Postpartum care is part of pregnancy care. Carrying a newborn on one hip, leaning over a crib or car seat, and holding a feeding position for hours a day loads the neck and back in new ways, and the pelvis stays loose for months after delivery. We see new mothers for neck and upper back pain, low back and pelvic pain, and wrist and thumb pain from lifting the baby. Babies are welcome in the treatment room. Dr. Keys is comfortable seeing new mothers within a few days of delivery, after a vaginal birth or a C-section. After a C-section we keep pressure away from the incision and follow any restrictions your obstetric provider has given you.

When you should call your OB or go to the ER

Some symptoms belong with your OB, your midwife or the emergency room, not a chiropractor. Call them or go to the ER if you have any of these:

• Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking.
• Regular contractions or patterned cramping, especially before 37 weeks.
• A severe headache, vision changes, or sudden swelling of the face or hands (possible preeclampsia).
• Fever with back pain, or burning when you urinate (possible kidney or bladder infection).
• Back pain after a fall or a car accident.
• Loss of bowel or bladder control, saddle-area numbness, or worsening leg weakness.

Tell us about any of these even if they seem minor.

Visitors and crew

Expecting mothers visit St. Thomas and St. John on charter boats, cruise days and family trips, and a long flight or a rough ferry ride can set off back or pelvic pain. We see visitors and crew on short notice.

Getting seen

Call (340) 690-4994 to book. We take walk-ins and same-day appointments. We are at the VI Medical Foundation Building, Suite 202, 9150 Estate Thomas, St. Thomas, USVI 00802, just east of Charlotte Amalie and a short drive from the Havensight cruise port and Yacht Haven Grande. Hours are Mon, Wed, Thu: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tue, Fri: 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Closed Sat and Sun. New patient forms are at forms. Tradewinds Chiropractic has more than 180 five-star Google reviews.

Questions patients ask

Is there a prenatal chiropractor in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands?

Yes. Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas sees pregnant patients in every trimester and after delivery. Dr. Bradley Keys uses side-lying, low-force techniques with no pressure on the abdomen. Call (340) 690-4994 to book.

Is it safe to see a chiropractor while pregnant?

For most healthy pregnancies, yes, when the technique is modified for pregnancy. We use supported side-lying positions and low-force adjustments, and we avoid the abdomen entirely. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, placenta previa, bleeding or preeclampsia, talk to your OB first and tell us so we can plan care with them.

Can a chiropractor help with sciatica during pregnancy?

Often. In pregnancy, leg pain is usually coming from the pelvis and the buttock muscles irritating the sciatic nerve rather than from a disc. Gentle pelvic adjustments, soft tissue work and a few home positions usually take the edge off. If you have weakness in the leg or loss of bowel or bladder control, that needs your OB or the ER, not us.

Do you do the Webster technique?

Dr. Keys is not Webster certified. For pregnancy he uses modified Diversified and low-force techniques. We have pregnancy pillows and a drop-away table on site, so there is no pressure on your belly.

How soon after giving birth can I get adjusted?

Dr. Keys is comfortable seeing new mothers within a few days of delivery, after a vaginal birth or a C-section. After a C-section we keep pressure away from the incision and follow any restrictions your obstetric provider has given you. Tell us about any complications from the delivery. Babies are welcome in the treatment room.