Prepare For an Easier Pregnancy With Physical Therapy
It’s no secret that being pregnant isn’t easy. Many changes occur in the body during pregnancy, including postural adjustments, increased load on the pelvic floor, hormone increases, and ligament stretching and thickening.
Because of changes in their center of gravity, 50-70 percent of pregnant women experience chronic back pain (defined as pain that lasts more than 2-3 months) during their pregnancies. Muscle weakness can also cause incontinence and difficulty activating core muscles.
While many women simply tolerate these discomforts, prenatal and postnatal physical therapy can help alleviate them. Contact Beyond Physical Therapy today to learn more about how physical therapy can help you both before and after pregnancy!
How can I benefit from prenatal rehabilitation?
Many pregnant women experience a decrease in physical activity as a result of their overall discomfort, in addition to juggling their seemingly endless daily responsibilities of working hard and preparing for new life.
A lack of physical activity can make pregnancies more difficult and leave a mother’s body unprepared for the arduous birthing journey ahead.
Prenatal rehab can help your body cope with the stresses it is currently experiencing and better prepare it for birth. You can make pregnancy, birth, and recovery much easier if you participate in prenatal rehab.
Prenatal physical therapy treatments can address all of the factors contributing to your pain and discomfort. These treatments are aimed at improving posture, flexibility, muscle strength, joint alignment, and nerve involvement. When all of these factors are operating at peak efficiency, your stress, fatigue, and achiness will begin to fade.
Recovering from your delivery with Physical Therapy
During the delivery process, you may be required to have a procedure that leaves a scar, such as a C-section or an episiotomy. These can cause restrictions in the body’s myofascial system. At Beyond Physical Therapy, we use specific myofascial and scar-release techniques to alleviate these restrictions and keep your myofascial system from becoming further strained.
Some women may also experience diastasis recti, or abdominal separation. Diastasis recti can impede abdominal muscle strengthening and cause the belly to “pooch.” To identify and treat this condition, our therapists employ the most recent evidence-based clinical knowledge in the field.
Due to the stress and significant change that your body undergoes during the delivery process, it is likely that you will experience general weakness after delivery as well. Our physical therapists can help your body recover as quickly as possible by performing core and pelvic floor strengthening exercises.
Strengthen your body with Physical Therapy treatments
If you are pregnant or have recently given birth, we can help relieve your pain and strengthen your body. Prenatal and postnatal physical therapy treatments have numerous advantages, 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 a smoother delivery.
- Helping to manage or avoid certain issues that may arise during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes.
- Relieving pregnancy-related lower back pain and joint pain.
- Getting back in shape after pregnancy by working on the core and pelvic muscles.
Request an appointment today!
You don’t have to suffer before or after giving birth. Pregnancy is a lot of work; it’s okay to ask for help! Contact us today to set up an appointment, and we’ll devise a plan to assist you throughout your pregnancy.
We’ll work with you to ensure that the preparation and delivery of your new bundle of joy go as smoothly as possible!