Prenatal and Postpartum
Fitness and wellness have brought awareness for women to pay closer attention to their bodies.
The emphasis of health sciences on fitness and wellness has brought awareness for women to pay closer attention to their bodies during recreation, work, and throughout life. Our physical therapists have specialized training that benefits women with a variety of medical conditions. All treatments are individually designed after thorough evaluation.
A physical therapist can help address:
- Abdominal weakness
- Blocked/plugged milk ducts
- Constipation
- Developing an exercise program during or post-pregnancy
- Headaches
- Mid-back and low back pain
- Pain with intercourse
- Painful C-section or episiotomy scars
- Pelvic pain
- Poor sleeping
- Preventing bed rest complications
- Shoulder/neck pain
- Swelling
- Tailbone pain
- Urinary or bowel leakage
PAIN DURING PREGNANCY
With your body changing shape to accommodate a growing baby, it is not unusual to experience different aches and pains throughout your body. Physical therapists can help you manage these discomforts and teach you how to prevent further issues down the road. Back pain is common during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester. This is typically due to hormones causing increased laxity in your joints and increasing the pull and strain of the muscles in your back and pelvis. Other issues that arise may be from the pressure of your baby pushing on ligaments or nerves causing discomfort in parts of your abdomen and/or legs.
Treatments to combat these aches and pains during pregnancy include decompression of the abdomen and nerves with braces/supports or manual pressure, exercises to stabilize the low back and pelvis, teaching proper body mechanics/good posture, and teaching good sleeping positions.
PREPARING FOR LABOR & DELIVERY
If you have a C-section or episiotomy scars from prior pregnancies, your physical therapist can help you prepare for labor and delivery. Manual techniques, perineal massage, and varying positions can be beneficial in decreasing tearing and pain.
BLADDER & BOWEL ISSUES
Urinary leakage is a frequent occurrence that can begin with pregnancy. However, it is something that can be changed with pelvic floor exercises, correct body mechanics to reduce force on the bladder, and modified fluid intake/bladder habits.
Constipation is also something commonly experienced due to decreased movement of food through the digestive tract because of relaxing muscles from increased progesterone. With some diet modifications, colon massage, and other education, your physical therapist can help you manage this discomfort and show you how to improve your bowel and bladder health.
POST-PREGNANCY PAIN
After giving birth, vaginally or by C-section, many women suffer from abdominal and pelvic discomfort along with weakness. Core stability training, pelvic floor strengthening, and scar tissue work are a few methods utilized by our expert physical therapists for these conditions.
Painful intercourse can also be experienced following delivery. Physical therapy uses a variety of treatment options to assist in restoring your pelvis and body to enjoy sexual activity again.
