Physiotherapy For Every Stage of Your Pregnancy
If you’re looking for help at any stage of your pregnancy to reduce pain or optimise your activity and exercise, then you’ve come to the right place.
At C-Physio you will get a Personalised Pregnancy Pathway, designed to support you at every stage of your Pregnancy. Our Women’s Health Physiotherapists and Physiotherapists with expertise and experience in Pregnancy-related conditions and exercise offer specialist advice and a full range of physiotherapy treatment throughout your pregnancy, taking account of both you and your precious parcel.
So if you need support, advice, guidance or active treatment for any of the following, give us a call on 01274 270450 or BOOK ONLINE
Exercise During Pregnancy
Stay Fit and Active to Improve Your Pregnancy
Exercise is an essential part of having a healthy and active pregnancy.
But if exercise isn’t part of your normal routine, when should you start?
Can you keep exercising when you find out you’re pregnant?
Can you keep spinning?
How should you change your exercise as your pregnancy develops?
Which exercise is best for you during your pregnancy?
For many women, these questions are a barrier to effective exercise. If you’re not exercising, your baby is missing out on important stimulation in the womb. And you’re not benefitting from all the fantastic ways exercise can improve your health during your pregnancy.
Why Is Exercise Important?
Exercise during pregnancy may help with the following:
- Improve your Mood – Endorphin and Serotonin release
- Improve sense of Well-being
- Increase Blood Flow and Circulation
- Improve Muscular Endurance
- Improve Muscle Strength
- Easier Delivery of Baby
- Prevent or Treat Gestational Diabetes
- Reduce the risk of tears during delivery
- Improved Bladder Function
- Reduced Blood Pressure
- Improved ability to cope with Labour
- Reduce Backache
- Reduce Constipation
- Reduce Bloating
- Reduce Swelling
When Can I Start Exercising?
For most ladies at the start of their pregnancy journey, getting consistent advice about exercise is difficult.
If you’re exercising before your pregnancy, then it’s usually safe to continue with the same exercise when you find out you’re pregnant.
But if you’ve decided you want to start exercising to improve your health and make your pregnancy easier, a new exercise regime is best introduced gradually from about 12 weeks.
What Exercise Can I Do During Pregnancy?
Exercise doesn’t always mean sweating it out at the gym. There are literally hundreds of different things you can do to include healthy activity and exercise as part of your day-to-day routine.
From walking to the next bus stop or cycling to work, starting a Pilates class or taking up tennis, your activities and exercise can be as varied as you would like.
But sometimes, increasing your exercise and activity levels may need to be more carefully introduced and monitored. If you have pain, difficulties with exercise, previous birth difficulties or other medical problems that could affect the introduction of exercise, you should seek professional guidance.
If you would like to exercise but you’re not sure when or how to start, at C-Physio we have specialist Physiotherapists with experience enabling women to exercise safely during pregnancy.
From 1:1 Personal Training to Clinical Pilates Classes, your Physiotherapist will set you on the correct path to meet your healthy pregnancy goals. And with regular monitoring of each stage of your journey, you’ll be able to build a strong, confident body to tackle the challenges of pregnancy, labour and a newborn child.
To book an assessment with one of our Physiotherapists with a special interest in Exercise during - BOOK ONLINE
Pregnancy Pain
Don’t Let Pain Affect Your Pregnancy
During Pregnancy your Body goes through hormonal and physical changes to prepare you for birth and the arrival of your new baby.
But if pain is affecting your pregnancy, there are ways to improve and sometimes eliminate your pain completely.
Pain during pregnancy is not uncommon. But left untreated, apart from causing discomfort of varying degrees, it can also cause difficulties with your movement and ability to get around as easily as you would like.
Common Painful Problems During Pregnancy include:
- SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction)
Pain affecting the front of the pelvis
The joint at the front of the pelvis is called the pubic symphysis or symphysis pubis. As the pelvic ligaments relax, the pubic symphysis can slip, get stuck in an uneven position or get inflamed with increased movement. - Pelvic Girdle Pain
Pain affecting the front or back of the Pelvis
At the back of the pelvis, the pain is often referred to as Sacroiliac Joint or SIJ Pain
At the front of the pelvis, the pain can originate from the Pubic Symphysis. It is often referred to as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction or SPD. - Low Back Pain
Lower back pain is common during pregnancy. Exercise can help to keep the abdominal muscles strong, supporting both your spine and your baby throughout its growth. - Upper Back Pain
Postural Pain and pain in the upper back between the shoulder blades.
It is common during pregnancy. As your baby bump grows, the way your back absorbs loads through the spine can change, with increased curves in the spine and relative weakness of the spinal postural muscles.
Exercise and manual therapy treatment can reduce the symptoms of upper back pain - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Pain, numbness or pins and needles into the hand
Common in pregnancy due to swelling around the wrist. Swelling in the carpal tunnel puts pressure onto the nerves and tendons that pass through the area causing nerve symptoms into the hand, fingers and thumb
Wrist splints can support the carpal tunnel and resting positions can reduce the intensity of symptoms. Symptoms normally resolve completely following the birth of baby.
Calf / Lower Leg Pain
Effective Treatment for Pregnancy Pain
If pain during your pregnancy is affecting your sleep, your energy levels or your mood, don’t put up with it.
Your Physiotherapist can offer a variety of techniques and advice to reduce your pain and support your body. Treatment to improve your symptoms includes:
- Exercise Prescription
- Soft Tissue Massage
- Joint Mobilisations
- Electrotherapy
- Laser Therapy
- Advice
- Braces and Supports
- Taping
- Acupuncture
So take back control of your body and create the perfect environment for you and your baby to thrive.
Call 01274 270450 or Book Online to organise a Physiotherapy Assessment at C-Physio, your local Award-Winning Physiotherapy Clinic, specialising in Pregnancy-related Pain.
Diastasis Recti
Closing The Gap
If you’re suffering from Diastasis Recti, you’re probably wondering how to make an effective recovery following the birth of your little one.
Diastasis Recti is a condition where the line of soft tissue running down the centre of your abdominals (linea alba) has separated. The linea alba is the central connection of the abdominal muscles and provides a strong, stable base for the muscles to pull against.
During pregnancy, the muscles and soft tissue around your tummy can be stretched. Once baby has been born this can leave a gap along the central line (diastasis recti). The linea alba then separates when using your abdominal muscles to sit up and bringing your knees towards your chest.
Exercise to strengthen and stabilise the muscles in a controlled, progressive way is the best form of management for Diastasis Recti, usually in the form of Clinical Pilates.
In extreme circumstances, you may require surgery to close the gap and provide a stable, supportive abdominal wall.
Get It Checked
Getting your abdominal wall checked by a health professional is important to understand if you have a Diastasis Recti, the extent of the problem and how you can manage it most effectively.
At C-Physio, our physiotherapists have a special interest in pregnancy-related problems, and can easily assess the extent of any abdominal stretching.
In most cases, we will provide you with advice on the best way to manage your Diastasis Recti, and an exercise programme to gradually increase the strength and control of your abdominal muscles to reduce the impact of your Diastasis Recti.
For more information on Diastasis Recti, if you have the condition and the best way to manage it, please call us on 01274 270450 or book online to make an appointment with one of our Specialist Pregnancy Physiotherapists.
Postural Pain
New Beginnings
Learning how to cope with a new baby is hard enough without pain affecting what can be a joyful but difficult time.
New postures such as breastfeeding, bottle feeding and baby cuddles can be challenging even for the fittest of mums.
Additional challenges like lifting baby out of a cot, carrying baby and lifting prams in and out of cars can also put extra loads onto your body.
But postural pain doesn’t always start immediately after giving birth. Many postural problems occur around 6-9 months after the arrival of your little one. Increasing baby weight and a reduction in the types of activities that once kept your posture in control can cause your pain to increase over the course of a few months.
Starting An Active Lifestyle
Maintaining an active lifestyle and being diligent with your pelvic floor exercises is a great start. But getting rid of some of the aches and pains associated with these new postures can prove difficult.
If you’ve had a traumatic birth or a caesarean section you may not even feel ready to exercise.
Getting Rid Of Your Postural Pain
At C-Physio, we can help reduce your postural pain. Our award-winning physiotherapists have expertise in all aspects of pre- and post- pregnancy pain and postural conditions.
Starting with a review of your current activities and exercise levels, we’ll understand what the problem is, why it has started and how it affects you. You’ll then get a personalised plan of action to redress the balance.
With a range of hands-on treatment options available, you can get effective treatment, advice and exercises to reduce your pain and improve your recovery.
We also offer Clinical Pilates Classes, led by our Pilates Trained Physiotherapists. So you can relax, knowing that you increase your strength, flexibility and control with an expert who understands your condition.
Give us a call today on 01274 270450 or Book Online to make an appointment with one of our physiotherapists to find out how you can get rid of your postural pain for good.