Pregnant women often experience some form of musculoskeletal dysfunction during or after pregnancy. This can include pain, weak or separated abdominal muscles, urinary incontinence, and fear of returning to physical activity.
“For many women, the effects of weakened or injured muscles after giving birth can significantly impact quality of life,” said physical therapist, Vanessa Cool, PT. “If symptoms persist more than six weeks after childbirth, women should talk with their OB/GYN about pelvic floor therapy which has been shown to help dramatically improve recovery time.”
Physical and occupational therapists at Spectrum Health Lakeland Rehabilitation are trained and certified to evaluate and treat pregnant and postpartum patients for:
- Constipation/straining or difficulty with bowel movements
- Core and low back weakness
- Pain in abdomen, low back, tailbone, hips, or legs
- Pelvic pain (pain with intimacy or vaginal pain)
- Prolapse (heavy feeling in pelvic floor)
- Separation of abdominal muscles or bulging in the abdomen
- Urine leakage, frequent urge to urinate, or difficulty emptying bladder
What should patients expect?
At your first visit, a therapist will evaluate your condition, develop an individualized treatment plan, and provide education and a home exercise program. Subsequent visits may include manual therapy, relaxation, strengthening exercises, body mechanics, and posture training.
- Without therapeutic intervention, 49% of patients reported urinary incontinence one year postpartum and 40% of those subjects also had back pain.
- Separation of abdominal muscles was prevalent in 53.6% of women at 12 to 14 weeks postpartum and 39.3% of women at six months postpartum.
- The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders increases with the number of times a woman gives birth—up to 32% for women with three or more children.
Sources: Mannion 2015; Fernandez da Mota 2015; National Institutes of Health
Spectrum Health Lakeland offers pelvic health rehabilitation in Niles, St. Joseph, and Watervliet. For more information, visit spectrumhealthlakeland.org/pelvichealth or talk with your doctor regarding a referral to Lakeland Rehabilitation.