Being pregnant is fantastic. However, during pregnancy, women often tend to undergo various physiological changes, from bladder leakage to lower back pain and abdominal separation. This is why prenatal physical therapy is essential for expectant mothers as they prepare for labor and eliminate the common discomforts associated with pregnancy. This physical therapy works the same way as individuals involved in accidents or suffering from severe injuries.
Usually, prenatal physical therapy differs from one person to the other, but you don’t have to wait until the common discomforts become unbearable. In this article, you’ll be taken through the benefits of prenatal physical therapy.
What is Prenatal Physical Therapy?
This question needs answering before digging into the benefits of this type of physiotherapy and where to find an expert in physical therapy Williamsburg. Prenatal physical therapy is a type of fitness designed to prepare expectant mothers for an engaging lifestyle while pregnant.
Physiotherapists often use this therapy to ease discomfort and pain in pregnant women. Additionally, it aids in strengthening joints and muscles and offers proper posture. This makes it a vital exercise for increasing flexibility and improving coordination and balance among pregnant mothers.
Benefits of Prenatal Physical Therapy
Prenatal physical therapy is associated with numerous benefits, some of which are listed below:
- Relief of Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is common among pregnant women, and this is associated with the child’s development in the womb. As the child develops, a woman’s center of gravity changes, making it relatively hard for her to maintain proper balance. And as time progresses, her spine’s alignment also becomes affected, straining her neck, back, and shoulder muscles.
Most pregnant women will develop Sacroiliac (SI) joint and lower back pain when these physical changes go unchecked. However, by engaging in prenatal physical therapy, these pains can be treated easily, improving the pregnant mother’s quality of life.
- Reduces Pregnancy Complications
When a woman is pregnant, the body releases several hormones that allow her to be comfortable throughout the process. However, as these hormones get produced, expectant mothers start struggling with various issues, such as abdominal pain, heartburn, urinary problems, and nausea. In addition, as the pelvic muscles stretch, it becomes challenging for a pregnant woman to control her bladder.
A pregnant woman can ease woes and pains with a good mattress and sleeping position. With prenatal physical therapy, pregnant women can strengthen their pelvic muscles and gain control of their bladder. Additionally, this process will alleviate various pregnancy complications making the whole process much more bearable.
- Relieves Body Pain And Improves Posture
A pregnant woman will improve her posture with the proper prenatal physiotherapy routine. Failure to properly align the body makes most women develop hemorrhoids, sciatica, swollen feet, backaches, and varicose veins. Prenatal physiotherapy aids in improving posture, which in turn helps in preventing these complications from occurring.
Moreover, physiotherapy strengthens joints and muscles, making it less likely for a pregnant woman to get injured while carrying her baby. This makes it a vital activity for alleviating body pains.
- Eases Deliver And Labor Processes
Prenatal physical therapy is known for improving flexibility and strength during childbirth. You might consider partaking in prenatal physiotherapy before delivery unless advised otherwise by your doctor.
Physiotherapists often use electromyography (EMG) to detect comfortable and suitable positions for a natural delivery. A proper test will provide the physiotherapist with sufficient information to guarantee a smooth delivery without complications.
- Less Stress On Your Joints
A pregnant woman will often complain about soaring joints. Fortunately, joint pain and stress will reduce significantly with prenatal physical therapy. It’ll strengthen the muscles around your joints as you train, thus improving strength, coordination, and flexibility.
With strengthened muscles, your joints have fewer chances of getting injured. This allows you to carry out your daily routines without fearing injuries. Additionally, prenatal physiotherapy aids in preventing early labor in women, which is associated with overworked joints.
In addition to strengthening your joints, prenatal physiotherapy strengthens your pelvic muscle. This is vital since the pelvic muscles are responsible for supporting the weight of the developing baby. By strengthening these muscles, you will reduce the chances of injuries during delivery.
- Maintains Your Fitness Level
Weight gain is a must during pregnancy, but it should not affect your fitness levels. With prenatal physiotherapy, you can gain less weight and maintain good fitness throughout your pregnancy.
Since physical training prevents too much fat accumulation, prenatal physical therapy will keep a pregnant woman in shape. Additionally, it will prevent the muscles from deteriorating.
- Prevents DRA (Diastasis Recti Abdominis)
DRA is a condition associated with the separation of abdominal muscles during pregnancy. This condition occurs when excess pressure is exerted on the abdomen causing pelvic instability, lower back pain, and trunk stability.
Prenatal physical therapy aids in preventing DRA from developing or reducing its severity while pregnant. Physiotherapy will help strengthen the abdominal walls, preventing the muscles from separating further among women with DRA.
- Fast Recovery After Pregnancy
Physical therapy is not limited to post-surgery, victims of accidents, and athletes; expectant mothers also require it to hasten the post-pregnancy recovery period. Whether it is a normal delivery or a cesarean section delivery, women need physical therapy to help them resume their normal activities soon after the delivery.
Women can heal and ease the pain faster during postpartum with the right physical therapy. Remember that most of their muscles are weak after delivery and require strengthening. So, to achieve this, you’ll need to perform selected physical therapy exercises that’ll allow you to enjoy a happier and healthier postpartum.
Lastly, your physiotherapist will train you to lift and carry your child without compromising your joints and spine. As a result, this process will help reduce pain and speed up your recovery.
Takeaway
A pregnant woman frequently encounters several physical changes associated with severe pain. However, with prenatal physical therapy, one can overcome these challenges and experience a healthy and stress-free pregnancy.
The main objective of prenatal physical therapy is to reduce complications during pregnancy. You’ll need to work with your doctor and a physiotherapist to achieve this. Therefore, we highly recommend consulting your doctor to ensure the whole process is safe for you and your baby.