It’s no secret that pregnancy isn’t any walk in the park. With pregnancy, the body experiences many changes, including postural adjustments, increased load on the pelvic floor, hormone increases, and stretching and thickening of the ligaments. 50-70% of pregnant women also experience chronic back pain during their pregnancies (defined as a persistent pain lasting longer than 2-3 months) due to the changes in their center of gravity. Muscle weakness may also lead to urinary incontinence and difficulty activating core muscles. While many women simply push through these discomforts, prenatal and postnatal physical therapy can help relieve them. To learn more about how physical therapy can benefit you both before and after pregnancy, contact Integrated Physical Therapy today!
Preparing for your baby:
Many women experience a decrease in physical activity during their pregnancies, due to their overall discomfort, in tandem with juggling their seemingly endless daily responsibilities of working hard and preparing for new life. Lack of physical activity can make pregnancies more difficult and can leave a mother’s body under-prepared for the strenuous birthing journey it is about to embark on.
Prenatal rehab can help ease the stresses that your body is currently going through and help it better prepare for birth. By participating in prenatal rehab, you can help make pregnancy, birth, and recovery much easier on yourself.
The factors adding up to your pain and discomfort can all be addressed through prenatal physical therapy treatments. These treatments focus on the improvement of posture, flexibility, muscle strength, joint alignment, and nerve involvement. When these factors are all functioning in harmony at their peak levels, your stress, fatigue, and achiness will begin to subside.
Recovering after delivery:
During the delivery process, you may need to undergo a procedure that might result in a scar, such as a C-section or an episiotomy. These can cause restrictions in the myofascial system of the body. At Integrated Physical Therapy, we use specific myofascial and scar-release techniques to eliminate these restrictions and prevent your myofascial system from being further compromised.
Some women might also suffer from diastasis recti, also known as abdominal separation. Diastasis recti can interfere with the strengthening of the abdomen muscles and cause the belly to “pooch.” Our therapists use the latest evidence-based clinical knowledge in the field to identify and treat this condition.
It is likely that your body may experience a general weakness after delivery as well, due to the stress and significant change that is placed on your body during the process. Through core and pelvic floor strengthening exercises, our physical therapists can help your body bounce back as quickly as possible.
Contact Integrated Physical Therapy:
If you are currently pregnant or recovering from delivery, we can help relieve your pain and strengthen your body. There are many benefits to both prenatal and postnatal physical therapy treatments, including:
- Targeted stretches and strengthening exercises to help during pregnancy.
- Treatment plans for both before and after your baby is born.
- Increased health while pregnant.
- Preparing the body for an easier delivery process.
- Helping to manage or avoid certain issues that may arise during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes.
- Relieving lower back pain and joint pains that come with pregnancy.
- Regaining your strength after pregnancy, by working on the core and pelvic muscles to get back in shape.
You don’t need to suffer before or after delivery. Pregnancy is hard work – it’s okay to get some help! Contact us today to schedule an appointment, and we’ll create a plan to help you along your pregnancy. We’ll help you make the preparation and delivery of your new bundle of joy as smooth as possible!
