What Can Physical Therapy Do For You? A Guide for Women

October is National Physical Therapy Month. A physical therapist is a health professional whose education and knowledge focus on anatomy, physiology, and muscle function.  A physical therapist can be a great partner in your health. Did you know that there are physical therapists who focus especially on female issues? In fact, there are physical therapists here in St. Louis who are Board Certified in Women’s Health Physical Therapy (WCS). 

There are multiple times in a woman’s life in which physical therapy may be appropriate.     We will talk about 2 important time periods in this article: 1) during pregnancy, and 2) postpartum

DURING PREGNANCY
Physical therapy can be a wonderful adjunct care provider during pregnancy to help with common pain complaints such as:

  • Low back pain
  • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Sciatica
  • Pelvic and pubic pain
  • Foot pain
  • Incontinence (bladder leakage)
  • Round ligament pain

Physical therapy treatment during pregnancy may include:
Posture education to avoid injury and decrease pain
Manual therapy to restore alignment and improve soft tissue guarding
Therapeutic exercises for improving muscle performance and posture
Abdominal and pelvic floor training
Fitting for various support belts to help with stability and pain

If you are like many pregnant women, you may have concern about what exercises are appropriate during pregnancy. A physical therapist is a great resource for instruction on the do’s and don’ts of exercise during pregnancy.

POSTPARTUM
The stresses of pregnancy, vaginal deliveries, and C-sections may lead to myofascial complications following the birth of the baby. Many women suffer in silence because they feel these conditions are “Normal” after they have a baby.   Fortunately, many of these symptoms can be easily treated by a physical therapist specializing in postpartum care.
Common Postpartum Complaints:

  • Low back and lower extremity pain
  • Upper back and neck pain associated with breastfeeding
  • Upper extremity pain or numbness associated with child care
  • Diastasis recti: Separation of the abdominal muscles which commonly occurs during healthy pregnancies.
  • Pain with intercourse or orgasm
  • Clitoral, vaginal, rectal, pubic, or tailbone pain
  • Pain and decreased mobility at scar of C-Section, episiotomy, or perineal tear
  • Pelvic floor weakness
  • Prolapse
  • Urinary or fecal incontinence
  • Urgency and frequency
  • Pelvic pain

 

 

How Physical Therapy Can Help:

  • Soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, deep tissue massage
  • Therapeutic exercise for improving abdominal and pelvic floor muscle performance
  • Posture, lifting techniques and biomechanics
  • Home exercise program
  • Abdominal binder/brace fitting
  • Scar massage
  • Therapeutic ultrasound to breakup clogged milk ducts
  • Modalities for pain control
  • Instruction in return to exercise safely
  • Instruction in proper lifting/carrying of baby, stroller walking, and other activities of daily living to avoid injury
  • Pregnancy, childbirth and childcare are all events that result in significant physical changes and new stresses on a woman’s body. Women’s Health Physical Therapists are specifically trained to meet the special obstetric needs of women.

Legacy Physical Therapy is a local clinic which specializes in women’s health physical therapy. Their services are available and appropriate for all prenatal and postpartum women. Their clinic is geared towards preventive health and is capable of providing rehabilitation in the event of pre/postpartum musculoskeletal problems. For more information about women’s health physical therapy check about their website at www.legacytherapystl.com.

Guest Author
Dr. Brooke Kalisiak PT, DPT, WCS is currently the owner at Legacy Physical Therapy. She is one of 4 Board Certified Women’s Health Physical Therapists in St. Louis. She opened Legacy Physical Therapy in January 2009 because she saw a need in the St. Louis area for a physical therapy center that focused on women’s health needs throughout their lifetime.  She is currently serving as the regional course coordinator for the American Physical Therapy Association’s Section on Women’s Health. She continues to have close ties with the faculty at Washington University’s Program in Physical Therapy, and enjoys helping the next generation of therapists learn the profession by lab assisting and being a clinical educator.

 

24
OCT
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