Pregnancy and childbirth put your body through a lot, and they can have several unexpected side effects. You may experience back pain, pelvic floor dysfunction and a range of other symptoms after you give birth.
While your body may recover from these side effects with time, postpartum physical therapy can help to speed up the recovery process.
In this article, we'll discuss some of the post-childbirth conditions that physical therapy is used to treat.
What does a postpartum physical therapist do?
Postpartum PTs specialize in treating some of the side effects of pregnancy and childbirth. When you visit with one of these specialists, they'll assess your condition, identify any problems and develop a treatment plan for helping you achieve a swift recovery.
Postpartum conditions treated in physical therapy
Postpartum physical therapy is a specialized type of physical therapy that focuses on treating the side effects of pregnancy and childbirth. Here are some of the conditions we treat in our patients:
1. Lower back pain ” During pregnancy, your lower back muscles shorten and your abdominal muscles stretch out, getting weaker in the process. This can result in severe pain in your hips and lower back during and after pregnancy.
A physical therapist will apply manual therapy techniques to relieve tension and promote healing in your lower back. They will also coach you through exercises and stretches that can help you strengthen your muscles to limit pain.
2. Pelvic floor weakening ” The pelvic floor muscles weaken during pregnancy and remain weak after childbirth. This can lead to a number of complications, including pelvic pain, urinary incontinence and prolapse of the pelvic organs.
In physical therapy, your specialist will help you to rebuild strength in your pelvic floor muscles to reduce pain and prevent other potential complications.
3. Diastasis recti ” Diastasis recti is a condition in which the tendons that run down the middle of the abdomen start to weaken and tear. It is often accompanied by discomfort and can increase the difficulty of tasks that involve using your core muscles.
Physical therapy will help you manage the effects of diastasis recti by coaching you through exercises that increase your strength and improve your stamina. They will also help you to modify your movements so that you avoid worsening your condition.
Alliance PTP is ready to help you find top-notch postpartum PT
At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we're proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need. Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that's close to you and that can help you address post-childbirth symptoms.
Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform.
Contact our team today so we can help you find the most effective physical therapy services for your injury or condition.
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