💥 FREE 30-MINUTE CONSULTATION! 🔥
Take advantage of a free physiotherapy consultation, only this month!
Physiotherapy in pregnancy and after childbirth
During pregnancy and after childbirth, you may experience pain, changes in the muscles of the pelvic floor, bladder or bowel, and different sexual behaviour. If you have had a caesarean section, your body may need some time to recover.
At the NYD clinic, we offer physiotherapy for any stage of the antenatal and postnatal period.
Pregnancy and the postnatal period are probably one of the most beautiful times for young parents, but they bring their own challenges. In addition to the change in lifestyle, there is also the change in a woman's body.
In the first trimester the woman often feels tired, nauseous and needs to pass water more often.
In the second trimester the woman's body begins to adapt to the growth of the foetus. The increased pressure and stretching make pain more pronounced, and swelling and stretch marks may start to appear.
Third trimester is the most uncomfortable for most because the foetus is the heaviest. The weight puts extra pressure on the joints, bladder and bowels. More severe pain, heartburn and constipation are common companions. A growing foetus and a growing uterus can put pressure on the diaphragm and lungs and lead to breathlessness.
After childbirth pelvic floor muscles remain stretched, which can lead to involuntary leakage of urine. If the perineum is torn during childbirth, stitches and scars may be present. A diastasis recti, or spacing of the abdominal wall, increases the risk of low back pain, which can become chronic.
Physiotherapy is a safe and effective way to reduce discomfort and prevent chronic pain. It has been proven to improve a woman's quality of life and prepare her body for childbirth.
Physiotherapy in pregnancy
Swelling of the legs
As a result of the supply of adequate amounts of nutrients to the placenta and the foetus, the mother's blood volume increases. In addition, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the veins in the pelvic area, which can slow down the return of blood from the legs and pelvic area to the heart. All this can lead to swelling of the legs.
How can a physiotherapist help with leg swelling?
Physiotherapy interventions that promote regular physical activity have been shown to improve lifestyle among pregnant women and reduce the incidence of complications.
Weight gain
Most pregnant women gain between 10 and 12.5 kg during pregnancy, with the biggest increase occurring after 20 weeks. The weight gain is due to the growth of the foetus on the one hand, and to the storage of fat for adequate milk production after birth on the other. Weight gain can put strain on the musculoskeletal system, especially the back, hips, knees and ankles. In addition, a high percentage of women are over the recommended weight, which increases the risk of developing gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and postnatal overweight or obesity.
How can a physiotherapist help with weight gain?
Physiotherapy interventions that promote regular physical activity have been shown to improve lifestyle among pregnant women and reduce the incidence of complications.
Change in body posture
As the uterus grows, the abdomen grows, the centre of gravity moves forward, posture changes and the lumbar curvature increases (lordosis). The change in posture can lead to back and pelvic pain, affect balance and increase the risk of falls.
The physiotherapist assesses biomechanical changes in posture early in the antenatal programme. This allows him/her to monitor postural changes at baseline and re-evaluate them during pregnancy. Based on this, she develops a personalised exercise programme to increase the strength of the trunk and hip stabilisers and encourage good posture. Correct posture reduces the strain on the joints, the intensity of pain and the risk of falls.
Pain
During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin loosens the muscles, joints and ligaments of the pelvis and softens the cervix. This allows the woman's body to adapt to the growing foetus and prepare for childbirth. The most common pains are pain on both sides of the abdomen due to tissue stretching, pain in the round ligament, which is the ligament that supports the uterus, pain in the pubic bone (symphysis pubis), low back pain and sciatica. Pain in the round ligament is described by pregnant women as groin pain, while pain in the symphysis pubis may manifest as pain when walking, dressing and turning in bed. Sciatica is caused when the growing uterus and fetus put pressure on the sciatic nerve. This can lead to pain, numbness and tingling that spreads down the leg.Physiotherapy after childbirth
Weakened pelvic floor muscles
The pelvic floor muscles are located between the occipital and pubic bones. They support the bowel, bladder, uterus and vagina. During childbirth, they stretch a lot and a tear of the perineum can occur. Weakened pelvic floor muscles can lead to reduced control of water and stool.
How can a physiotherapist help?
The physiotherapist assesses the strength of the pelvic floor muscles and prepares exercises to strengthen them.
Rectal diastasis
The rectus diastasis is the spacing of the abdominal rectum. The abdominal rectum runs vertically along the front of the abdomen and is divided into left and right halves by a tissue called the linea alba. After childbirth, the linea alba may lose its elasticity and the two halves of the abdominal rectum may not converge as much as they should. There may be a visible bulge above or below the belly button, a tender area around the belly button, difficulty lifting objects, walking or doing everyday tasks, pain during intercourse, in the pelvis or lower back, and leakage of urine when sneezing or coughing.The physiotherapist will first diagnose rectus diastasis by measuring the distance between the abdominal muscles at the belly button and 2 cm below and above it. If necessary, he will provide targeted exercise therapy, focusing on improving pelvic alignment, and improving abdominal wall tone and alignment. The exercise programme also includes strengthening of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, as more than 70 % women are unable to produce pelvic floor contractions in the presence of rectus diastasis, making them more likely to have water leakage and pelvic pain. If necessary, the physiotherapist will also recommend the use of ergonomic aids such as a corset.
Accidental water leakage
After giving birth, many women experience at least some degree of involuntary urination, which is known professionally as urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is caused by the baby passing through the birth canal during labour, the increased weight of the uterus during pregnancy, pregnancy hormones and weakened pelvic floor muscles. Women who have given birth naturally are 50 % more likely to have a leak than women who have had a caesarean section.How can a physiotherapist help?
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, which are responsible for bladder control, is important.
A physiotherapist can teach women to do Kegel exercises, which are strengthening exercises for both the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor muscles.
Pain
Looseness of the pelvic ligaments and pelvic floor muscles can lead to pelvic pain, pain when walking and during sexual intercourse. Posture changes during pregnancy will persist for some time after the birth, increasing the likelihood of back, neck and shoulder pain.The physiotherapist will design a programme of exercises to strengthen your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Manual therapy is used to improve joint mobility, relieve back and pelvic pain and improve posture. Electrical stimulation of muscles relieves muscle tension and pain. High-energy laser therapy is analgesic and anti-inflammatory.
You can book an appointment by calling 040 229 339 or online:
Our patients' opinions
I received intravenous vitamin therapy for burnout at the NYD clinic. The staff were friendly, professional and made me feel comfortable. I highly recommend it!
Fast, efficient, quality. Thank you🌏
I took a 5-pack of acupuncture for neck pain. This package is much better value for money. I was impressed by the friendliness and professionalism of the staff, the facilities are modern and very clean. I will be happy to go for any therapy or procedure.
I recommend them, I only go to them for fillers (forehead and between the eyebrows) in Ljubljana. The premises are nicely decorated and I had my turn at the appointed time without any waiting.
Slovenščina
English (UK)
Deutsch
Italiano
Українська