What we Treat / Post-pregnancy Problems
Pregnancy can often cause joint related pain issues both during the pregnancy and following the birth process. Due to the increased release of the hormone Relaxin the body’s ligaments ‘loosen’ to allow delivery of the baby through the pelvic floor. However a side effect of this process is that ligaments at other joints also ‘relax’. This can cause decreased support, which in turn leads to pain. Commonly affected regions post-pregnancy include pelvic pain, symphisis pubis discomfort, and low back pain.
Pelvic pain and pubic symphisis discomfort directly relate to the process of the baby passing through the bony pelvis. Relaxation of the ligaments to allow the baby to pass through leads to decreased stability of the joint. Then comes the stretching of joint as the baby passes through. This can lead to pain around the joints of the pelvis following the birth process.
Low back pain can be traced back to two major causes. One is the aforementioned ‘loose’ ligaments effect causing instability in the region. The other is the obvious increase in weight in the abdominal region. In particular the increased weight dragging forwards combined with the lack of ligament support due to release of Relaxin causes low back pain, often with symptoms referring into the bottom or legs. Our Physios can ascertain which structures are involved and use a combination of treatment and rehabilitation to alleviate your symptoms.
Another common post pregnancy problem is Urinary Stress Incontinence or the involuntary leakage of urine. It is extremely common but is one of the least talked about side effects of pregnancy and childbirth. Usually the leakage will occur if you laugh, sneeze or cough. It is usually mild and infrequent but on occasion, it can be severe, interfering with normal daily activities. Many women may have a small amount of urine leakage, especially in the last trimester. This is due to the pressure of the baby against the bladder and the muscles that support it. The hormones of pregnancy, especially progesterone, also weaken the sphincter or pelvic muscles surrounding the urethra (the tube that carries the urine from the bladder to the outside), which adds to the problem.
Incontinence may continue into the post-birth period, temporarily. For most women, the problem resolves itself within a few weeks of childbirth. For some women, trauma to the nerves and muscles of the pelvic floor during childbirth can make the problem worse and incontinence may persist for several months after giving birth. Our Physios can help to overcome these difficulties by teaching you to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bowel, urethra and vagina. Pelvic floor exercises, often referred to as Kegel exercises, involve repetitive contractions of the pelvic floor muscles and have been shown to effectively prevent and treat urinary incontinence during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Ideally you should begin the exercises during pregnancy.
