A little help with your big journey
Nine months can sometimes seem like nine years for a mother-to-be.
Between the cravings and the swollen feet, aching back and sore muscles, it might feel like the big day will never come. Your body is going through a lot of drastic changes.
But when your little one finally arrives you’ll think those nine months have gone by in the blink of an eye.
With all the planning, prepping, and anticipation, it’s easy to get caught up in your prenatal transition and forget to take care of yourself during pregnancy. That’s where physiotherapy comes in. It’s a great method to help with labour preparation, along with pain and injury prevention.
Is physiotherapy safe during pregnancy?
As an expectant mother, you might wonder if physiotherapy could be dangerous or harmful during pregnancy. In reality, it’s quite the opposite. Although people seek out physiotherapy for a wide range of reasons, pregnancy and women’s health are among the most popular.
Physiotherapy is perfectly safe at all stages of pregnancy. It’s one of the most effective ways of keeping pregnancy-related aches and pains to a minimum. It can also help maintain and improve your mobility, paving the way for a much smoother pregnancy and labour. Chiropractic medicine is also an effective method for treating many side effects of pregnancy, but physiotherapy treats a broader range of problems and concerns.
If you were already seeing a physiotherapist pre-pregnancy, they may need to make periodic adjustments to your treatment plan to adapt to the changes in your body. High-intensity treatments may need to go on the back burner, to be replaced with gentler prenatal exercises. Additionally, acupuncture and dry needling are not recommended during pregnancy.
Your physiotherapist may also change the types of topical creams and lotions they prescribe, especially if the current ones are made with essential oils. If medication is part of your physio routine, your physiotherapist may switch you to a more natural pain relief alternative.
How does physiotherapy help during pregnancy?
Between 50% and 70% of pregnant women experience back pain or issues with the sciatic nerve at the base of the spine. This can usually be attributed to changes in hormone levels, a shift in your centre of gravity, added weight and stress, or changes in your posture.
Prenatal physiotherapy targets the source of the problem that may be causing your back pain. Treatment plans for back pain and sciatica can include anything from posture correction, joint alignment and muscle strengthening to flexibility exercises and nerve repair.
Booking prenatal and postnatal physiotherapy
If your pregnancy symptoms are driving you up the wall, it might be time to consider physiotherapy. Your physiotherapist will not only alleviate those symptoms, but you’ll have access to a wealth of professional knowledge and advice to help you prepare for labour and even speed up your postpartum recovery.
Book an appointment with one of Elysian Wellness Centre’s licensed physiotherapists today and let us turn those aches, pains and frayed nerves into reassurance and peace of mind.
