We’ve been talking about the importance of physical therapy after pregnancy, but did you know that it’s as important to consider it during your prenatal period. There’s no doubt that your body will change during pregnancy and that’s why you have to think about the necessary help that you can get. The number of pregnant women who experience back pain is between 50 to 70 %. Take note that the reasons for back pain vary from person to person, but the majority of back pain concerns can be accounted for by one of the following reasons: gaining additional weight, a change in the body’s center of gravity, an increase in hormones, and stress. That’s why your OB-GYN would recommend you be physically active during pregnancy since it offers women many health benefits, among them a psychological lift, better aerobic fitness, and a lower risk of excessive weight gain.
According to the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, spread throughout the week.
Here are the benefits of Physical Therapy during prenatal period:
1. Helps in maintaining Pelvic Health
The pelvic area is also a crucial part of your body to prepare for pregnancy and childbirth. Prenatal physical therapy can help you prepare by learning how to push, how to relax your muscles, and preparing your muscles and tissue to make it easier to push the baby when it’s time. There will be several exercises that you will be doing with the help of a Physical Therapist and rest assured that a comprehensive history taking and assessment is always done for every patient.
2. Manages Stress Urinary Incontinence During Pregnancy
Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), otherwise known as SUI, is when a woman involuntary expels urine when exercising or exerting themselves in any way and a common yet under-reported occurrence among pregnant women. Prenatal physical therapy helps you gain control over SUI by strengthening the muscles near the pelvis and the bladder and changing behavior that can help induce SUI.
In a report, 80% of women who actively underwent prenatal physical therapy claimed that they had no issues of incontinence during their pregnancy or postpartum. Just going to physical therapy a few times a week can make all the difference for your postpartum confidence.
3. Helps in Pain Relief
Physical therapists work with you to develop a treatment plan to decrease pain by identifying and addressing its causes. Lower back pain is a common reality for many expecting mothers. As the uterus and baby grow, the mother’s center of gravity moves forward causing women to slump forward. Physical Therapists provide the right exercise that caters to your needs as an expecting mother. With proper treatment, the pain that a mother experiences are mostly resolved and treated.
Some expecting mothers might have some doubts regarding physical therapy, but take note that you will still be given a recommendation and a go signal from your OB-GYN. Your physical therapist is going to provide you with specific exercises that target what you need to make your pregnancy easier and even healthier. You can also rest assured that your physical therapist will guide you through the proper usage of these exercises so that you can gain the most benefits.
Tribeca Physical Therapy is officially reopened for in-person physical therapy sessions and continues to offer Telehealth PT or Virtual PT. Call us at 2124068080 or message us and book your first session free.
