Call Us - Hunt Club613-224-2077 Call Us - Kanata343-309-9654 Book Online Today Physiotherapy for pregnancy 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. Contact us today to schedule an appointment Name* Email* Phone* Choose location*West Hunt ClubKanata Choose service*PhysiotherapyChiropractorAcupunctureMassage TherapyDietitianYogaCold PlungeInfrared SaunaIV Therapy Message* Input this code: Thank you for requesting an appointment We usually respond within one business day. If you’ve messaged us outside of normal business hours, we will be happy to help you once we’re back. Please note that no bookings are final until we have reserved a time slot using your credit card. Hours of operation Monday to Thursday: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM Friday: 9:30 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday: Appointment only Sunday: Closed Please be aware of our cancellation policy. How does physiotherapy help during pregnancy? Soothes lower back pain and sciatica Collapse 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. Reduces swelling of limbs Expand During pregnancy, your body will retain more fluid than usual. Gravity can cause fluid to pool in the hands, feet and ankles, which can result in mild to severe swelling. To relieve swelling and discomfort, your physiotherapist will use a lymphatic drainage massage to push the fluid towards your lymph nodes — which are responsible for fluid absorption and the removal of waste and toxins. Your physiotherapist will use slow and gentle massage strokes on the problem areas, giving you instant pain relief and even improving your range of motion. Posture changes Expand Most of the back, muscle and pelvic pain women experience during pregnancy can be attributed to poor posture. With the added weight and the shift in your centre of gravity, it can be difficult to notice when you’re failing to maintain good posture. Physiotherapy uses core stability training to correct this over time. Even after the baby arrives, you should continue implementing core stability into your physical routine. It will help improve your bone mass and reduce the likelihood of postpartum falls and fractures. Preparation for labour Expand The days and weeks leading up to the due date can be a stressful time for a new mother, especially when you’re not sure what to expect. Your physiotherapist is here to answer your questions and give you advice to make sure you’re as ready as you can be. As the big day draws near, they can suggest movements or exercises to help position the baby for birth. Your physiotherapist can also use hands-on pain relief techniques and help facilitate the opening of the pelvis, which can help the labour go more smoothly. Pelvic floor rehabilitation for urinary incontinence and organ prolapse Expand The urinary incontinence that occurs during and after pregnancy is a running joke in mommy groups — “all it takes is one sneeze, then it’s Niagara Falls!” Although it’s totally normal to experience a weakened pelvic floor during and after pregnancy, it can still be extremely frustrating. In severe cases, it can cause vaginal prolapse, or the prolapse of other organs below the pelvis. Many times, daily Kegel exercises alone won’t be enough to resolve a weakened pelvic floor. In some cases, Kegel exercise can even make matters worse if you’re not doing them properly. This is what your physiotherapist is for. They will help you develop and stick to a safe treatment plan with strengthening exercises that are tailored specifically to you. Dyspareunia relief Expand Many women experience either temporary or persistent dyspareunia — or extremely painful intercourse — over the course of their pregnancy. Many women simply stop engaging in intercourse when this happens, but dyspareunia can be treated quickly and efficiently with physiotherapy. During pregnancy, dyspareunia is usually caused by injury, tension or hyperactivity of the pelvic floor muscles. It can also be caused by stress. To treat this, your physiotherapist will use a combination of core exercises, manual therapy (to mobilise the tissue) and even biofeedback or gentle electrical stimulation to relax the overactive muscles. Caesarian operations Expand This is more of a postnatal treatment suggestion, but for all you C-section moms, physiotherapy may be just what you need to speed up your recovery and restore your uterus back to its pre-pregnancy size. By stimulating the surrounding muscle tissues underneath and around your uterus, your physiotherapist will help the incision area heal more quickly and even encourage your body to expel any remaining afterbirth. Seeking physiotherapy after a Caesarian operation can also improve pulmonary function, reduce a new mother’s risk of contracting pneumonia, and even prevent vascular or gastrointestinal complications post-surgery. 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. Contact us today to schedule an appointment Book online now