Prenatal Chiropractic: How It Helps Women Training Through Pregnancy

Pregnancy changes everything — especially if you’re used to pushing your body as an athlete. Whether you’re logging miles on the trails around Monmouth, chasing PRs in the pool, or strength training at your favorite Willamette Valley gym, pregnancy can feel like someone suddenly swapped out your body mid-race.

That’s exactly what Dr. Emily Kreifels, our sports chiropractor here at Performx in Independence, Oregon, discovered firsthand. As a high-level triathlete and mom, she experienced the drastic changes of pregnancy and postpartum — and it reshaped her career. She now specializes in perinatal chiropractic to help active women train smarter, stay comfortable, and prepare their bodies for both birth and performance goals.

Why Pregnancy Changes the Game for Athletes

Pregnancy isn’t just “carrying extra weight.” Your body undergoes huge structural and hormonal shifts:

• Hormones like relaxin loosen ligaments, which makes joints more mobile (but less stable).

• Posture shifts as your center of gravity changes, often leading to increased curvature in your lower back.

• Pelvic alignment is under constant stress, which can cause pain in the hips, sacroiliac (SI) joints, and low back.

• Muscle imbalances develop as your body adapts to carrying and protecting your baby.

For athletes, those changes don’t just cause discomfort — they can derail training and increase the risk of injury.

How Prenatal Chiropractic Helps

Perinatal chiropractic care is specifically designed to support the pregnant body. At Performx, Dr. Kreifels uses gentle, pregnancy-safe techniques (like the Webster Technique and modified adjustments) to keep moms aligned and moving well.

Research shows that chiropractic care can reduce low back and pelvic pain during pregnancy, improve mobility, and even help with pelvic balance — which may encourage optimal positioning for birth. For active women, that means less time sidelined by pain and more ability to keep moving in ways that feel good.

And here’s the important part: it’s not about the adjustment itself. It’s about what it allows you to do — run without hip pain, squat without back aches, sleep without constant discomfort, or simply enjoy an active pregnancy.

Training Through Pregnancy: Practical Tips

If you’re an athlete who’s pregnant, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Start early: The sooner you address discomfort or imbalances, the better.

• Stay consistent: Regular visits help your body adapt more smoothly through each trimester.

• Listen to your body: Modify workouts as needed — sometimes less intensity = more progress.

• Think long-term: Chiropractic now can also set you up for an easier recovery postpartum.

The Performx Approach

At Performx, our philosophy is outcomes-focused: care isn’t about the treatment itself, but about what it helps you do. For Dr. Kreifels, that means keeping moms training, working, and living the active lives they love — without being sidelined by pain.

If you’re pregnant and want to stay strong and active, prenatal chiropractic might be the missing link.

📍 Located in Independence, Oregon, we serve moms and athletes across Monmouth, Salem, Dallas, and the wider Willamette Valley.

👉 Ready to train smarter through pregnancy? Book a Discovery Call & we can see if Performx & Dr. Emily are the right fit for you.