Is loaded single leg exercise safe during pregnancy?
If your instructor has included lunges, single leg squats, or other one-sided weighted exercises in your pregnancy workout, it is reasonable to ask whether that is appropriate. You may have been told it is perfectly fine. WHEN’s position is more cautious, and this article explains why. The information is here so you can make the decision that is right for you.
Loaded single leg work means any exercise where you are standing on one leg while bearing weight, like lunges, single leg squats, or step ups. Exercises where you are lying down or seated and moving one leg, like side lying leg raises, do not carry the same risks and are generally fine during pregnancy.
Here is what the evidence says.
What is pelvic girdle pain and why does it matter here
Pelvic girdle pain is pain in the pelvic region during pregnancy. It affects around 44% of Australian women, making it one of the most common pregnancy related conditions most women are never warned about. It can range from mild discomfort to pain that significantly affects daily life. It is also largely unpredictable. There is no reliable way to know in advance whether you will develop it, and it can appear at any point during pregnancy. Loaded single leg work and loading the pelvis unevenly is a known aggravating factor.
What the experts say
A large international study asked experts in pelvic girdle pain whether loaded single leg and uneven exercises should be avoided. To reach formal agreement, 75% of the panel needed to agree. The result was 57%. That did not reach formal agreement, but a majority of experienced clinicians in this field still believed these movements are a real concern.
This study looked at managing pelvic girdle pain once it had developed, not preventing it. WHEN’s position is that when nearly half of all pregnant women will experience this condition and there is no way to predict who, a precautionary approach makes sense.
You do not need a diagnosis or a symptom to decide that loaded single leg work is not for you right now. That is your call to make.
It is not just about pelvic girdle pain
Even if you never develop pelvic girdle pain, loaded single leg work during pregnancy is more demanding than it was before. Your balance system is working harder, your joints are looser, your centre of gravity has shifted, and your circulation can cause sudden dizziness with position changes. Loaded single leg movements ask a lot of a body that is already managing significant change.
What about the argument that single leg work builds important strength?
It does. Nobody is disputing that. The question is whether loaded single leg standing work is the only way to build it, and it is not. Clams, side lying leg raises, and banded glute work in seated or lying positions target exactly the same muscles without the fall risk or uneven pelvic loading. You do not have to choose between strong glutes and a cautious approach. You can have both.
On the question of whether pelvic girdle pain is serious enough to warrant this level of care, WHEN’s position is straightforward. No woman should have to decide how much pain is acceptable to push through. That is her call, not anyone else’s.
What to do instead of loaded single leg work
Double leg squats are your best friend during pregnancy. They strengthen exactly the muscles you need without loading your pelvis unevenly. By the end of your pregnancy you may never want to see another squat again, but they are worth it.
Glute exercises are also excellent. Strong glutes support your pelvis and take pressure off your lower back. Work them regularly throughout your pregnancy.
One thing that often gets overlooked is stretching your glutes. If your glutes become too tight they pull on your pelvis and can contribute to pelvic girdle pain. Stretch them regularly but always in a controlled way, no deep uncontrolled movements that put your pelvis in a compromised position.
If you develop pelvic girdle pain
The first thing to do is let your maternity care provider know as soon as possible. Early support makes a real difference.
There are also some practical adjustments that can help more than you might expect, and most of them have nothing to do with exercise.
Getting in and out of the car, keep your knees together and swivel. Soft sand and uneven surfaces are harder on your pelvis than they look, so choose your walking routes with that in mind. Crossing your legs, even casually on the couch, adds tension to your pelvis so try to avoid it. That heavy handbag you carry on one shoulder is doing you no favours either, time to go hands free or share the load.
Shopping trolleys are worth a mention. We all know they have a mind of their own at the best of times, and the pushing, pulling and wrestling involved loads one side of your pelvis more than the other. Keep your trips short or recruit someone else to do the steering.
If anyone ever needed a legitimate reason to skip the vacuuming and sweeping, pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain is it. The pushing and pulling motion is genuinely aggravating for your pelvis. Consider this your clinical permission slip.
As your bump grows the temptation to push things along the floor with your foot rather than bending down to pick them up is real. Try to avoid it. That nudging motion loads your pelvis unevenly and can aggravate symptoms.
Good footwear matters too. Supportive shoes make a real difference to how your pelvis manages through the day. This is not the time for thongs or unsupportive flats.
References
Aldabe, D., Lawrenson, P., Sullivan, J., Hammer, N., Bryant, K., & Woodley, S.J. (2022). Management of women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain: an international Delphi study. Physiotherapy, 115, 66-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2021.09.002
Burani, E., Marruganti, S., Giglioni, G., Bonetti, F., Ceron, D., & Cozzi Lepri, A. (2023). Predictive factors for pregnancy-related persistent pelvic girdle pain (PPGP): a systematic review. Medicina, 59, 2123. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59122123
Ceprnja, D., Chipchase, L., Fahey, P., Liamputtong, P., & Gupta, A. (2021). Prevalence and factors associated with pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy in Australian women: a cross-sectional study. Spine, 46(14), 944–949.
Hrvatin, I., & Rugelj, D. (2022). Risk factors for accidental falls during pregnancy: a systematic literature review. Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine.
Kleppe-Danby, E., Gausel, A.M., Furskog, E.C.R., & Bergström, C. (2026). Observing life from the sideline: a qualitative study on experiences of living with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 26, 231. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-026-08724-y
Sward, L., Manning, N., Murchison, A.B., Ghahremani, T., McCaulley, J.A., & Magann, E. (2023). Pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy: a review. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 78, 349-357. https://doi.org/10.1097/ogx.0000000000001140
WHEN Exercise and Pregnancy Guidelines, Version 2 (April 2026). Women’s Health Education Network. www.when.org.au
Developed by the WHEN Clinical Team
Clinically reviewed by the WHEN Clinical Governance Committee
Last reviewed: 02/07/2026
