Medically reviewed by Ashlie Crewe
During pregnancy, the body undergoes incredible—and sometimes uncomfortable—physical changes to support the developing fetus. While every pregnant person’s experience is unique, nine in ten people experience some degree of pain as a part of their pregnancy. Fortunately, prenatal physical therapy can provide much-needed relief from common pregnancy aches and pains. Prenatal and postnatal treatment can also help you prepare for and recover from labor. Keep reading to learn how to enjoy a more comfortable pregnancy with physical therapy.
Learning about the miraculous changes that occur during pregnancy can help you better understand why you have pain and how to reduce it. Here are some physical changes that may contribute to pain during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the body releases a reproductive hormone called relaxin, which relaxes and loosens ligaments, muscles, joints, and other tissues, allowing the body to stretch and prepare for delivery. Relaxin itself does not cause pain, but because the body is more flexible, it can make you more susceptible to painful sprains and strains.
As the belly grows more prominent, it can strain the spine and lead to slouching, contributing to lower back pain during pregnancy. Also, as the baby’s head begins pushing on the pelvis, you may have added back and pelvic pain during pregnancy.
The fetus’s weight can also put pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing sharp pain that runs into the buttocks down the leg. Pregnancy weight gain also affects the body’s joints, causing skeletal pain that may be more noticeable when sitting, walking, and sleeping, especially in the hips and knees.
The uterus expands to accommodate the growing baby during pregnancy. As this happens, the round ligaments, two rope-like bands on either side of the uterus, stretch to become wider and longer to support the belly. This can cause back pain during pregnancy and aching around the abdomen, ribs, groin, and thighs.
Mild swelling is normal during pregnancy because the body holds more water than usual. Pressure caused by the growing womb can also affect circulation in the legs, increasing fluid buildup in the legs, ankles, and feet. This swelling may be uncomfortable and mildly painful for some pregnant people.
Prenatal and postnatal physical therapy offers a wide variety of safe and innovative treatments and techniques to reduce pain and improve function, mobility, and comfort at every stage of pregnancy. It is a valuable tool for relieving common pregnancy discomforts and helping you have a smoother, more enjoyable experience.
Here are some key benefits of physical therapy for pregnancy.
Pregnancy causes postural and alignment changes that affect nearly every body part. Physical therapists use therapeutic exercise, stretching, and manual therapy to strengthen the muscles that help with balance. Therapists also gently manipulate the spine to ease pain and improve alignment. Other physical therapy modalities address and reduce pain throughout the body for a healthier, more enjoyable pregnancy.
More than three-quarters of people experience sleep disturbances during pregnancy. That’s unwelcome news for expectant parents facing sleepless nights ahead. Sleeping difficulties can happen for a few reasons during pregnancy. Your changing body shape can make it hard to find a suitable sleeping position. Aches and pains can also keep you tossing and turning. Pregnancy-related hormonal changes may also disrupt the normal sleep-wake cycle.
By staying active with physical therapy, you are more likely to feel tired at bedtime and will have guidance in changing your activities as your body changes. Physical therapy also improves alignment issues, allowing you to sleep more comfortably. Your physical therapist can also demonstrate how pillows and other aids can help maintain proper sleeping posture, support your belly, and reduce back strain.
Prenatal physical therapy prepares the body for labor and delivery. Exercise and stretching maintain strength and flexibility, helping you push and labor more smoothly and effectively. Physical therapists also teach breathing techniques and body positions to manage pain and facilitate labor and delivery.
Although many people think that they need strong pelvic muscles to push during labor, it’s more important that the person can create pressure in their abdomen coordinated with stretching of their pelvic floor for an easier delivery. A physical therapist can help train this coordination for smoother labor & delivery.
Just like athletes need to recover after competition, parents who have given birth need support to recover the energy they have expended and heal muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. By taking a proactive approach to strengthening and aligning these structures during pregnancy, it may be possible to shorten the time it takes to recover after giving birth.
Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a condition in which the pelvic muscles and connective tissues become injured or weakened. People with PFD have difficulty coordinating the pelvic floor muscles for proper bladder, bowel, and uterine functions. Pelvic floor physical therapy is a proven first-line therapy for individuals with PFD related to pregnancy and other conditions. It involves targeted exercise and bladder and bowel retraining to restore pre-pregnancy function.
Many pregnant and postpartum people experience diastasis recti, a condition in which the abdominal muscles separate due to added pressure during pregnancy. Diastasis recti can cause visible bulging near the belly button and lower body pain and is associated with urine leakage. Postpartum physical therapy helps strengthen the abdominal muscles to reduce symptoms of this common condition.
Yes. Physical therapy is safe for most pregnant individuals. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends physical activity for pregnancy and the post-partum period after a thorough clinical evaluation has been completed. You should alwayscheck with your healthcare provider to make sure it is safe for you to participate.
If you are cleared for physical therapy, choose a therapist with experience working with pregnant people to ensure you get the maximum benefits from treatment. To experience results for yourself, find a clinic in your area or request an appointment online.
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