Pregnancy and Physical Therapy--who knew?
Posted by Briana Meade on Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Today I went to my first physical therapist appointment. When I think of physical therapy I usually imagine athletes with serious injuries, limping alongside a ballet-pole. I had no idea that physical therapy could apply to pregnant women.
This all came about because of my husbands admonitions that I have "weak pelvic floor muscles" when he was observing a Physical Therapist in order to fulfill his requirements for applying to graduate school. Thanks, Chris.
But really, after admitting to the Physical therapist that I have some back pain and that I now have NO control over my disobedient bladder, I did feel better about myself. She helped me to identify spots in my lower back where I now feel a dull, aching pain, and she even taught me some breathing techniques for labor. She also told me that I have a tendency to stick out my belly and curve my back instead of using my pelvic floor muscles. So now, here I am, practicing some exercises to increase the strength of those vaguely elusive abdominal/pelvic muscles. Whenever I am walking, I feel like I look somewhat uncomfortable because I'm trying to engage those muscles--engage and release, without forgetting to breathe at the same time. I'm already waddling like a duck and feeling like a beached whale. Maybe physical therapy can help me regain some self-respect?
This all came about because of my husbands admonitions that I have "weak pelvic floor muscles" when he was observing a Physical Therapist in order to fulfill his requirements for applying to graduate school. Thanks, Chris.
But really, after admitting to the Physical therapist that I have some back pain and that I now have NO control over my disobedient bladder, I did feel better about myself. She helped me to identify spots in my lower back where I now feel a dull, aching pain, and she even taught me some breathing techniques for labor. She also told me that I have a tendency to stick out my belly and curve my back instead of using my pelvic floor muscles. So now, here I am, practicing some exercises to increase the strength of those vaguely elusive abdominal/pelvic muscles. Whenever I am walking, I feel like I look somewhat uncomfortable because I'm trying to engage those muscles--engage and release, without forgetting to breathe at the same time. I'm already waddling like a duck and feeling like a beached whale. Maybe physical therapy can help me regain some self-respect?