Physical Therapy & Motherhood

A woman’s body undergoes significant change throughout pregnancy and after labor and delivery. During the transition into motherhood, women are faced with hormone changes as well as physical changes that can result in musculoskeletal concerns that may not present immediately after the baby is born. Because it’s so common for mamas to have pain, weakness, and/or abdominal separation during pregnancy and postpartum, many women accept these issues as something that comes with having children. However, each of these issues can often be treated postpartum and prevented pre-pregnancy and even during pregnancy:  

•  SI dysfunction  
•  Diastasis recti  
•  Lower back pain  
•  Neck pain  
•  Sciatic nerve pain  
•  Piriformis syndrome  
•  Pubic symphysis dysfunction  
•  Pelvic floor weakness  
•  Stretched and weakened muscles  
•  Excessive joint mobility  
•  Changes in spinal mobility and function  
•  Weakness of the core stabilizers  

Physical Therapy for Pre-Pregnancy Physical therapy is a great way to prepare the body for conception and help reduce the risk of muscle/joint pain, diastasis recti, incontinence, and more. Whenever working with pre-pregnancy mothers, our goal as Physical Therapists is to help ensure that the body is ready and strong to carry a baby and address any pre-pregnancy issues associated with musculoskeletal dysfunction. Physical Therapy During Pregnancy 

Physical therapy during pregnancy will focus on maintaining muscle tone and overall strength, especially when the joints are more lax. Exercise during pregnancy is often intimidating, and it can be difficult for women to determine what’s best for the body during all of the changes occurring and also what is safe. Our clinic is unique in that we use Pilates equipment for rehab and preventative purposes. All sessions are one hour long, one-on-one with a physical therapist catered to your body and what you need. We especially love Pilates because it is low-impact and safe for all ages and activity levels. Pilates improves core strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance, and coordination while being safe to practice during pregnancy. Because it focuses on your core, practicing Pilates regularly can improve posture, alleviate backaches, and ultimately help with labor and delivery. Physical Therapy for Motherhood Postpartum physical therapy is very beneficial whether your baby was born two months ago or five years ago; it’s common for women to experience problems after pregnancy. Pain can increase with moms due to repetitive bending, lifting, and twisting. Breastfeeding moms often come to us with neck and lower back pain due to Posture Dysfunction during feedings. Our goal is to address the pain early on so that women don’t continue to suffer from chronic pain episodes later down the road. During our postpartum physical therapy treatments, our goal is to correct musculoskeletal issues that are causing the pain and provide instruction for women, such as correct bending and lifting techniques to reduce strain on the lower back and positioning techniques to use while breastfeeding to avoid pain. 

Physical therapy can help moms return to their pre-pregnancy physical state and prevent future pain and problems that may not present immediately after labor and delivery. Whether you’re planning your pregnancy, in your third trimester, or are busy chasing around a toddler, we are here to help keep your health and wellness a top priority!