What we check
- Pattern and timing of the pain — what triggers it, how long it lasts, which side
- Pelvic position and whether one side is loading more than the other
- Hip flexor length and tension on the involved side
- Abdominal wall tension and how the tissue moves with breathing
- Fascial restriction through the groin and inner thigh
- Webster pelvic muscle and ligament balance assessment
- Movement mechanics: rolling in bed, standing from sitting, getting out of a car
- INSiGHT nervous system scan findings
What to expect
We'll spend real time on the story of the pain, because the trigger pattern tells us most of what we need. Then we assess your pelvis, hip flexors, and abdominal wall, and get an INSiGHT nervous system scan for a baseline. If it's appropriate, you'll receive a low-force adjustment and gentle soft-tissue work with your belly supported. Before you go, we'll walk through the specific movement habits that are provoking the ligament most in your daily life and how to change them.
Book a first visitWhat the Round Ligaments Actually Do
You have two of them, running from the upper sides of the uterus forward and down through the groin, anchoring into the tissue near the labia. Think of them as a pair of guy-wires holding the uterus forward and steady.
- Early in pregnancy they’re short and slack
- By the second trimester they’re stretched steadily as the uterus grows up and out of the pelvis
- Ligaments have limited elasticity and don’t love fast changes in length
- Something sudden — a cough, sneeze, hard laugh, a twist getting out of the car, sitting up quickly — yanks the ligament, and it responds with a sharp, brief, unmistakable pull
- The classic presentation: sharp rather than aching, brief rather than constant, movement-triggered rather than random
- Usually one side, often the right, though it can be either or both
Why It Hurts More on Some Days
The ligament isn’t working alone — it shares real estate and workload with your hip flexors, your abdominal wall, and the fascia through your groin and inner thigh.
- When those tissues are tight or asymmetrically loaded, the ligament sits at a higher baseline tension all day, and it takes much less to hit its limit
- A pelvis rotated or tipped so one side carries more pulls that ligament from a disadvantaged angle before you even move — a mechanical problem, and mechanical problems are what we assess
- A long day on your feet in a Frisco summer
- A big walk, or a lot of stairs
- A toddler carried on one hip
- All of them raise baseline tension. Then one sneeze does the rest.
How Round Ligament Pain Relief Works Here
First we listen, then we rule out — sharp low-side pain also comes from pelvic girdle pain, hip flexor strain, an inguinal issue, and a handful of medical causes we’d send you straight to your OB or midwife for. Then the work is quiet and specific.
- Pelvic balance. Dr. Tori is Webster Certified through the ICPA, an analysis and adjustment approach built around balancing the muscles and ligaments of the pregnant pelvis. When the pelvis loads more evenly, the round ligaments are usually being pulled from a fairer angle.
- Soft-tissue release. Gentle, tolerable work through the hip flexors, the abdominal wall attachments, and the fascia around the groin. Not deep and aggressive — that isn’t the tissue’s problem.
- Round ligament work itself. Careful, light release along the ligament’s path where appropriate, with your consent, and only as much as feels okay.
- Habit changes that pay off immediately. Bracing before a sneeze by flexing your hips slightly. Rolling like a log out of bed rather than twisting. Swinging both legs out of the car together. Bringing the toddler to a chair instead of onto your hip.
Comfort Comes First in the Room
Being on your belly is off the table.
- You’ll be positioned on your side or fully belly-supported for anything we do
- We build the setup around your comfort before we touch anything
- Adjustments are low-force
- Soft-tissue work stays at an intensity you’d describe as tolerable, not something to grit your teeth through
- If you’re 32 weeks and getting comfortable takes five minutes of pillow arranging, we’ll spend the five minutes
What to Realistically Expect
Round ligament pain generally doesn’t disappear while the uterus is still growing — the stretching is ongoing and normal.
- What can change is how often you get caught and how hard the catch is
- Many women report the sharp episodes become less frequent and less intense
- Many also report the background dragging feeling on that side settles down
- Persistent pain, pain that doesn’t ease within a minute or so, or pain with any red flag below belongs with your OB or midwife first — sharp abdominal pain in pregnancy has a differential and we respect it
- Many women who come in for this are also dealing with pelvic girdle pain or sciatic-type pain in the same trimester, and those often get addressed in the same visits
See a medical provider right away if you notice
- Sharp pain that doesn't ease within a minute or two, or pain that becomes constant — call your OB or midwife today
- Vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid — call your OB or midwife immediately
- Regular contractions or tightening before 37 weeks — call your OB or midwife right away
- Fever, chills, or feeling generally unwell along with the pain — seek same-day medical care
- Pain with vomiting, or pain that wraps around to your back on the right side under the ribs — needs medical evaluation now
- Burning with urination or flank pain — possible kidney infection; call your provider today
- Decreased fetal movement — contact your OB or midwife immediately
- Severe headache with visual changes or sudden swelling in your hands and face — possible preeclampsia; same-day medical care
Common questions
Is round ligament pain dangerous?
The classic brief, movement-triggered version is considered a normal part of pregnancy. What matters is telling it apart from things that aren't. Pain that lingers, becomes constant, or comes with bleeding, fever, or contractions should go to your OB or midwife before anyone else.
Can a chiropractor do anything for a ligament?
We can't change the fact that it's stretching. We can change the tension it's sitting at — by balancing how your pelvis loads and releasing the hip flexor and abdominal tissue pulling on the same area. That's usually what shifts how often you get caught.
Why is it almost always my right side?
Right-sided is the most commonly reported, and it's often related to how the uterus tends to rotate slightly as it grows plus your own habitual loading pattern. Either side can be involved.
Will a maternity support belt help?
For some women, meaningfully. It reduces the downward and forward pull the ligaments are resisting. We'll talk about whether it makes sense for you and how to wear it so it doesn't create a new problem.
When in pregnancy do people usually come in for this?
Most often between about 16 and 30 weeks, when the uterus is climbing fastest. It's also common to be dealing with pelvic or hip pain at the same time, and we'll assess all of it together.
This page is educational and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Chiropractic care does not treat or cure disease; it supports the function of the nervous system and spine. Please speak with your pediatrician or a licensed clinician about your family's specific situation, and seek immediate care for any urgent symptom.