Using Physical Therapy to Help Relieve Pain and Ailments Following a Pregnancy:
How my Own Personal Experiences Guide my Perspective
My husband and I
waited patiently for years to have a baby.
When our doctor told us we were pregnant with twins, like most families
of multiples, we were surprised, yet felt extremely blessed. However, I had a difficult pregnancy. A herniated disc in my cervical (neck) spine,
which existed prior to my pregnancy, worsened.
The pain I felt in my ribs from the extreme amount of pressure is
something I cannot soon forget. I had
carpal tunnel syndrome that started on one wrist and eventually both. Not to mention the pain in my lower back,
which actually increased after my pregnancy, creating a radiating numbness on
my right thigh, lower leg, and foot.
While physical
therapy treats a wide range of physical ailments and conditions for men and
women of all ages, many women are not aware of the benefits of physical therapy
following their pregnancy. During a pregnancy,
women and physicians often utilize physical therapy to help relieve ailments
and symptoms. However, most women
experience residual, or even new, ailments or symptoms after their pregnancy,
yet many never even seek professional assistance.
Following the
delivery of my twins, I became very ill.
My primary care physician explained I had an infection, my entire body
was inflamed, and I was not recovering fast enough following my C-section. Yet I still had to care for my newborn,
premature twins. I was so ill that I was
not allowed to exercise. I was so weak
that standing up took time. Sleepless
nights led to constant fatigue. I felt
and looked like a frail, old lady stooped over from severe weakness. After two months, I started to feel better,
but was still experience neck pain, a stiff thoracic spine (upper back), pain
and stiffness in my lower back, and numbness in my right leg and foot. It is not normal to have symptoms like lower
back pain and leg numbness.
Common symptoms that
women experience after giving birth include pain in their back, pelvis, neck,
legs, and/or arms along with weakness, stiffness, and headaches. These symptoms, as well as other
musculoskeletal conditions, can be intensified during or after birth, and may
last for months to a year after delivery.
During pregnancy, the body's ligaments (tissues that connect bones
together) become lax from a hormone called relaxin, which is released to allow
the body to adapt with the growth of the baby.
This hormone predisposes pregnant women to injuries or can aggravate
already existing conditions. In
addition, other reasons why women have musculoskeletal problems after pregnancy
include postural changes, symptoms before and/or during pregnancy, a complicated
vaginal delivery, C-section, a complication or illness after delivery, and
giving birth to multiples.
Throughout a
pregnancy, women experience an altered posture to compensate for the baby bump. Nine months of pregnancy is more than enough
time to stress joints and cause women to continue this altered posture after
pregnancy. An altered posture places
unnecessary force on the body’s joints causing increased pain and decreased
comfort while caring for the child and performing daily activities. Another cause of symptoms arises from a
complicated vaginal delivery. A lengthy
labor adds stress on top of stress to the pelvic floor muscles, leading to pain
in the pelvis and incontinence issues.
Women who choose to
have a C-section, or require one following a lengthy labor, may experience weakness
in the abdominal and pelvic muscles causing trunk weakness and low back
pain. A C-Section is now the recommended
delivery option for women pregnant with twins (triplets, etc.) because it is
safer for the babies and the mother. However,
not all women/couples are aware that a C-section is a major abdominal surgery;
risks that are not adequately discussed in a birthing class. The negative result of a C-section can cause
emotional changes to some mothers who feel their body has failed in addition to
the weakness and pain.
Physical therapy can treat
these musculoskeletal conditions and reduce any residual symptoms. Unfortunately, very few women seek the
assistance of a licensed physical therapist because they assume nothing will
help or they ignore their symptoms. Most
moms place themselves second, third, or even last after the demands of their
family, their job, and other responsibilities despite the pain that they
experience. However, for a woman to give
100% to the demands of her role as a homemaker, mother, and/or a full-time
employee, a woman must take care of her body and remove any and all obstacles
or ailments preventing her from physically functioning at 100%.
A licensed physical
therapist will be able to evaluate and treat the symptoms by addressing the specific
problems individually and setting future health goals. Treatments may include pain relief with manual
therapy and modalities like cold pack, hot pack, and electrical stimulation. Physical therapy will work to strengthen specific
muscle groups, improve stability in specific muscle groups, increase endurance
levels to avoid fatigue, improve posture through manual therapy and exercises,
and relieve joint stiffness with manual therapy and stretching.
I am a physical
therapist, but I definitely needed another physical therapist to help me get
back in shape for my husband, my twins, and to be able to return to work. I was treated for my neck, my lower back, and
thoracic spine. Manual therapy loosened
my spine to correct my posture and relieve pain and stiffness. A home-exercise program was designed to
improve my strength (especially in my core) flexibility, and endurance level. Despite my daily demands, I had to create the
time to complete these exercises at home, not only for my family, but for
myself.
While every woman’s
symptoms and speed of recovery are different, a licensed physical therapist
will be able to frequently modify the treatment plan based on goals and
improvement. Some women, especially
those who have an infection or other complication(s) during and after delivery,
may need to see their physician prior to seeing a physical therapist. New mothers must take special care of their
bodies after giving birth to help regain energy and strength. The better a woman takes care of herself, the
more she will be able to provide the best care for her child.
Questions or comments?
Leave Pamela a comment below or contact AZOPT at (623) 242-6908 to find
out how you can benefit from physical therapy.
Pamela will respond directly to your questions/comments within 24 hours.
