It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to worry about the pain they’ll feel when giving birth. However, these same women may not be aware that they can develop many types of pain during the course of their pregnancy.
For instance, many women develop pain in their lower back or pelvis while they are pregnant. One study found that 72% of the women surveyed developed both lower back and pelvic pain during their pregnancy.
A type of physical therapy called pregnancy physical therapy can help women address and manage pregnancy-related pain.
Four ways pregnancy physical therapy can help women manage their pain:
1. Provides advanced warning — Newly pregnant women might not know that they can develop certain types of pain while they are pregnant. Physical therapists can talk with them about the types of pain that they may experience, including:
- Lower back pain
- Hip pain
- Pelvic pain
2. Educates — Women who do develop pain during pregnancy may not know much about the issue that’s causing it. A key part of physical therapy plans for pregnant women is helping to educate patients about the specific issue(s) they have.
3. Eases soft tissue tension — Often, pregnancy places new demands on the body. These demands can leave muscles sore and stiff. Physical therapists can use therapeutic stretching exercises to help ease tension in stiff muscles. They can also use a manual therapy technique called soft tissue mobilization to ease stiff muscles.
4. Improves strength — A strong body can make pregnancies go more smoothly. Physical therapy can include research-backed strengthening techniques; these techniques can help women improve strength in many key areas, including their:
- Lower back
- Pelvis
- Pelvic floor
- Buttocks
- Abs
Find effective pregnancy physical therapy at Arrow PTR
Interested in finding effective pregnancy physical therapy that can help you? Our Arrow Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation team is proud to offer this service to patients in our area. We can start by doing a free screening to determine the pregnancy-related issues you’re experiencing. Our specialists will then construct a customized physical therapy plan to meet your specific needs. Many patients can even get our help from home thanks to our at-home care and virtual therapy services.
Contact our team today for more information about how we can assist you during pregnancy or to schedule an initial appointment.
