Pregnancy and Postpartum

• Low or mid back pain
• Lower belly or groin pain
• Pubic bone pain
• Pain in the vaginal muscles/pelvic floor muscles

Pain after pregnancy:

• Pain at the location of any tearing, C-section or episiotomy scar
• Back, groin, or tailbone pain
• Abdominal/pelvic pain
• Pubic bone pain

Diastasis recti:

• Bulging of the abdominal contents due to separation of the abdominal muscles

Other issues related to pregnancy and post- partum:

• Pain associated with c-section or episiotomy scars
• Bladder and bowel issues following delivery
• Pain with intercourse following delivery

During pregnancy and delivery, your pelvic floor muscles, fascia and nerves are put through the wringer.

These muscles are important for continence, sexual health and support of your pelvic organs and joints.

Vaginal tearing or an episiotomy during delivery can cause future issues with your pelvic floor muscles.

C-section scars can affect your bladder and abdominals.

Just as a hamstring tear or rotator cuff tear needs physical therapy to heal, your pelvic floor muscles will also need proper rehabilitation.

Pelvic floor physical therapy can easily treat many of these issues – even if it’s been years since you gave birth.

Ideally, however, if a problem has persisted for two months postpartum, it’s time to get help.

Our physical therapists are trained in “baby mechanics” and can help you take care of your baby without injuring your back or other body parts.

Treatment Sessions may include:

• General education on condition and on how physical therapy can help
• Manual therapy to reduce tension and trigger points in the pelvic floor and surrounding musculature
• Manual therapy to improve alignment and segmental mobility of the spine
• Learning how to find and isolate the pelvic floor musculature
• Pelvic floor relaxation or strengthening
• Posture training
• Relaxation training
• Learning to coordinate the pelvic floor muscles at rest and with functional activity
• Breathing exercises
• Biofeedback to help strengthen or relax pelvic floor muscles
• Specific exercises to improve s/s with pregnancy issues
• Stretches
• Home exercise programs
• Education on everyday activities that worsen pain and improve incontinence if these are your problems
• Exercises to specifically reduce pain and improve frequency and leakage
• Education on supports for back pain or diastasis recti
• Recommendations for those experiencing pain with sitting
• Specific exercises tailored to your individual problems
• Body and “baby” mechanics to help protect parents from hurting themselves while caring for baby
• Ideas and avenues to return to exercise after baby
• Electrical stimulation protocols to reduce spasm and improve blood flow
• Ultrasound

At your first visit, you’ll receive a thorough evaluation including questions about current and past medical history.

Your physical therapist may ask past surgeries, deliveries and any childhood bowel or bladder issues. She will ask you many questions about your bladder, bowel and possible sexual pain.

If you have yet to deliver, she will ask about your due date and your birth plan.

If you have already delivered, she will ask about how long you pushed, what type of delivery you had and if there were any complications.

After this (and with your permission if it relates to your issue) your therapist will evaluate your pelvic floor muscles. As with any other muscle group, she is looking for pain, tightness, strength and coordination.

She will also look at your posture and overall mobility, and check your strength, range of motion, reflexes and sensation.

Lastly, she will look for trigger points in the muscles attached to the pelvis and your breathing.