Postpartum Relief with Physical Therapy
How physical therapy at Vitality Women’s Physical Therapy in IL can help you find relief during the postpartum period
Carrying a baby is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. However, with all of the significant physical and emotional changes, pregnancy takes quite a toll on a woman’s body.
Postpartum depression and physical challenges are extremely common among new moms, and it’s important to take the healing process seriously following your delivery. Fortunately, our therapists at Vitality Women’s Physical Therapy in IL are experts in the areas of pregnancy and postpartum and can help you overcome pain, discomfort, and limited functions.
To set up an appointment, call our practice today!
Postpartum conditions
Throughout pregnancy, a woman’s body is subjected to many physical stressors. These include:
- Ligament changes: Pregnancy can also frequently have an impact on the body’s ligaments. This is because, in order to prepare for childbirth, a woman’s body secretes hormones that are intended to make ligaments more flexible.
- Pelvic Pain or Dysfunction: During the delivery process, trauma can take place in the pelvic or reproductive areas. This can cause pelvic floor dysfunction in which women experience pelvic muscle spasms, incontinence, painful intercourse, and overall discomfort in the pelvic region.
- Urinary incontinence or leakage: Urinary incontinence is when urine leaks from the bladder. This can happen when increased stress is put on the bladder and pelvic floor muscles, such as with sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising, or when the urge to urinate is so strong you can’t make it to the bathroom on time. This is a common issue that many women deal with during and after pregnancy.
- Low Back Pain: A woman’s center of gravity shifts dramatically during pregnancy, often causing persistent pain in the lower back.
- Diastasis Recti: Diastasis recti is a condition in which the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles becomes more lax from being stretched during pregnancy to make room for your growing baby. Nearly every woman will experience diastasis recti during their postpartum period.
Common symptoms
There are several symptoms that accompany the common postpartum conditions listed above. After pregnancy, you may notice one or more of the following:
- Uncontrollable urinary leakage
- Increased urinary frequency
- Pelvic, abdomen, or lower back pain
- Hand, shoulder, neck, and mid back pain from childcare
- Pain during intercourse
- Pain in the tailbone area
- Sexual dysfunction
It’s important to share any current symptoms with your physical therapist so they can arrange a treatment plan that targets every ongoing issue. Physical therapy is the best way to treat postpartum conditions without harsh medications or medical procedures.
Treatments and what to expect during therapy
Our team at Vitality Women’s Physical Therapy in IL has all the tools available to help relieve postpartum pain. Depending on your specific needs, we will incorporate a treatment plan that includes one or more of the following:
- Exercises: Coordination and strengthening exercises teach you how to engage and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles beneath your bladder, colon, and uterus.
- Pelvic floor manual therapy: Your therapist will likely practice manual, hands-on therapy to pinpoint any tense areas that could be causing pain. Manual therapy helps with stress incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, sexual disorders, and more.
- Patient Education: Education plays an important role in the healing process, as patients can learn more about themselves, their condition, and healing techniques they can practice to further advance their recovery.
You will be matched with a physical therapist at Vitality Women’s Physical Therapy in IL who can help reduce your symptoms and achieve your recovery goals. We will begin with a comprehensive assessment of your condition, any underlying factors, and current symptoms. Then, you will receive a customized treatment plan that is tailored to your individual needs.
Request an appointment today!
Our outstanding team at Vitality Women’s Physical Therapy in IL is committed to helping our patients in their postpartum recovery, so you can finally focus on enjoying being a parent. To set up a consultation, call our clinic today!