physiotherapy role in Pre-Post Pregnancy Care

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pelvic bridging exercise

WHAT IS Pre and Post Pregnancy Care ?

in pregnancy care fitness levels and muscle tone may have decreased. As your baby grows, the uterus enlarges and your abdominal muscles become stretched and weaker. Your pelvic floor muscles are put under strain as they try to support the enlarged uterus and the baby inside it. Therefore it is important to start exercising as soon as possible after the birth of the baby. This will help restore your strength and give you a better fitness level, helping to regain your figure, lose any extra weight and help with maintaining continence. You should do exercises that are easy and enjoyable for you and do not require extra equipment. Remember to get plenty of rest as tired muscles are at greater risk of injury and strain. pregnancy care

Common health problems in pregnancy care

A woman’s body undergoes many transformations during the nine months of pregnancy care. Some of these physical changes are visible, such as an expanding belly and weight gain, while others are well known, such as an enlarged uterus, morning sickness and backaches. However, a few bodily changes may be unexpected and catch some women by surprise. 

Some bodily changesin pregnancy care are:

  • Cramps
  • Urinary frequency – needing to pass urine often
  • Joints and ligaments
  • Varicose veins – swollen leg veins
  • Backache
  • Weight gain
  • repetitive stress injuries

Body Changes During Pregnancy

Cramps

Stomach pains or cramps are common in pregnancy. They’re usually nothing to worry about, but they can sometimes be a sign of something more serious that needs to be checked. It’s probably nothing to worry about if the pain is mild and goes away when you change position, have a rest, do a poo or pass wind.

Urinary frequency

Increased urinary frequency is an early symptom of pregnancy care in women. It’s caused by an increase in the hormones progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin. The urges tend to reduce in the second trimester. The uterus is also higher in the second trimester.

Joints and ligaments

Relaxin not only relaxes ligaments in a woman’s pelvis to prepare her for labor and delivery, but it also stretches joints and ligaments all over the body. This can lead to back pain and sciatica, or pain along the sciatic nerve — which starts in the lower back and runs through the backside and down the leg,

Varicose veins

Varicose veins are a common, usually harmless part of pregnancy for some women. They happen when the uterus applies pressure to the large vein (the inferior vena cava) that carries blood back to the heart from your feet and legs. Varicose veins can become itchy, uncomfortable, or even painful.

backache

It is very common to get backache or back pain during pregnancy care, especially in the early stages. During pregnancy, the ligaments in your body naturally become softer and stretch to prepare you for labor. This can put a strain on the joints of your lower back and pelvis, which can cause back pain.

Weight gain

Underweight women should gain 28 to 40 pounds. And overweight women may need to gain only 15 to 25 pounds during pregnancy. In general, you should gain about 2 to 4 pounds during the first three months you’re pregnant and 1 pound a week during the rest of your pregnancy.

repetitive stress injuries

some pregnant women find that carpal tunnel takes its greatest toll in the workplace. Trying to work through an attack is not easy, and can be very painful. The good news is that carpal tunnel syndrome is not dangerous and usually subsides after delivery.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is physiotherapy safe during pregnancy?

Physiotherapy is perfectly safe during early pregnancy and can be an effective way of keeping your pregnancy-related aches and pains to a minimum. It can also help to improve your mobility, making for a much smoother pregnancy and labor.

Which type of exercise is best in pregnancy?

some of the techniques of manual therapy are:

Swimming. Swimming and water aerobics may just be the perfect pregnancy workout. 
Walking. 
Running.
Ellipticals and stair climbers.
Group dance or aerobics classes.
Indoor cycling.
Kickboxing.
High-intensity interval training workouts (HIIT)

What is antenatal physiotherapy?

Antenatal exercises aim at improving the physical and psychological well-being of an expected mother for labor and preventing pregnancy-induced pathologies by various physical means. It generally includes low impact aerobic exercises and stretching exercises.

How much does a session of Manual therapy cost?

The average cost of a physiotherapy session is 600 – 700 Rs. This is the average across Pune. The cost of a physiotherapy session can be as low as 500 Rs. as manual therapy is also included in the session you don’t need to pay any extra cost for manual therapy.

How do you know if you need physiotherapy?

If you had a particularly hard day at the gym, you would feel sore afterward. But if your pain is persistent and not getting any better, that is a sure sign that you need to see a physiotherapist. Likewise, mobility and movement are reasonably constant for a person. Sure, with age they change, but not overnight.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT ON FIRST VISIT ?

Our Physiotherapists will try to understand what your goals are, they will explain how they will assess you and ask for your consent before they start. After the assessment, the physiotherapist will explain what physiotherapy can help you with, how long it might take, and the expected outcome from the treatment.