Pregnancy and physiotherapy
Physical therapy during
pregnancy can be helpful for treating common conditions like back pain or
improving your body's ability to handle pregnancy and childbirth more smoothly.
Physiotherapy is needed not only for recovery. Talk to your doctor about
incorporating physical therapy into your prenatal care.
Physiotherapy for back pain
The number of pregnant women
suffering from back pain is between 50 and 70%.
The causes of back pain vary
from person to person, but most back pain problems can be attributed to one of
the following:
- an increase in hormones
- a change in the body’s center of gravity
- gaining additional weight
- a decline in posture
- added stress
Over the past 40 years, the
average age of women giving birth to their first child has risen from 21.4 to
25 years. As many women combine both the demands of higher education and the
competitive nature of today's workforce, more women are having their first
child after thirty-five.
As a result, many pregnant
women are less physically active in their daily lives. This decrease in
activity leaves an alarming number of women unprepared for the arduous journey
of pregnancy and childbirth.
Physiotherapy for pain relief
Women looking for ways to deal
with this reality may be surprised to learn that four of the above factors can
be directly addressed with an appropriate physical therapy program. Physical
therapy is a medical profession that specializes in pain relief. Physical
therapists work with people to develop a treatment plan to reduce pain by
identifying and treating its causes.
While this varies from state
to state, many do not require a referral or prescription from a doctor to see a
physical therapist. Physiotherapists can start treating your pain on your first
visit, so you leave feeling better than when you arrived. In addition, physical
therapy is a medical profession and is covered by most limited out-of-pocket
health insurance plans.
Treatment plans take a
holistic approach, addressing typical pain triggers:
- posture
- joint alignment
- muscle strength
- flexibility
- nerve involvement
Overweight, poor posture,
stress, and control of the center of gravity are not independent of each other.
Changing your center of gravity affects your posture, which makes your muscles
work harder. An increase in effort creates fatigue, which leads to a decrease
in motivation to be active. Lack of sports release often leads to increased
stress.
Although difficult, this
domino effect can be slowed down significantly with physical therapy.
Lower back pain is an
all-too-common reality for many expectant mothers. As the uterus and baby grow,
the mother's center of gravity shifts forward. This change increases the amount
of force the muscles must generate for daily support, causing women to lean
forward. Over time, this misalignment creates muscle tension in the chest
muscles, causing the shoulders to lean forward and placing increased strain on
the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and mid-back.
If these muscular factors are
not taken into account, these forces will eventually be transferred to the
lower back, an area that is already under a lot of stress because it maintains
an elevated center of gravity.
In addition, exercise
increases physical endurance and muscle strength, especially in the hips, back
and abdomen. Improving these areas can prepare the body for the physically
demanding event of childbirth. Finally, exercise therapy during pregnancy can
help recovery after childbirth.
It tones muscles, which
improves metabolism, reduces fatigue, and helps restore pre-pregnancy weight.
I thought physical therapy was limited to post-surgery recovery?
The general impression is that
physiotherapists are like personal trainers or only work with people after
surgery or catastrophic injuries. While this is part of what physical
therapists do, it does not fully cover the scope of the profession. As stated
earlier, physical therapy is a medical profession that specializes in relieving
pain by identifying and treating the causes of pain in each individual.
A good program will include
both an active exercise-based approach and a passive approach. The ultimate
goal is to educate the client so that they can be independent in their program
and continue to treat themselves in a way that is comfortable for them.
Home exercises during pregnancy
There are no guarantees, but
it's fair to expect your pregnancy and delivery to be easier and possibly even
faster with any improvements in strength and flexibility. While a few visits to
your physical therapist are a good start, incorporating home exercises into
your physical therapy program is essential.
Your physiotherapist will
suggest specific exercises to make your pregnancy easier and even healthier.
You can also be sure that your physical therapist will help you use these
exercises correctly so you can get the most out of them.
Tips for choosing the right program
Expectant mothers today have a
wide range of prenatal care options. The main thing is to find the right
program. Beware of treatment programs that are passive, place increased stress
on the joints, and do not improve muscle strength and flexibility through
exercise.
Here's what you should look
for in a physical therapy program:
- Managed by a certified professional
- Focused on building strength, increasing flexibility and improving posture
- Encompasses home-based elements for you to do yourself
- Proactively looks for any weakness, which may become a problem later
Pregnancy is the ultimate stress for her body. Physiotherapy can intervene to reduce this stress. A proactive strength, flexibility, and stabilization program can be helpful in preventing or reducing the intensity of painful symptoms, making your pregnancy more positive.