Physiotherapy during pregnancy
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Physiotherapists have a key role in preventing and managing physical problems in pregnancy which are common due to the expected changes taking place in your body at this time.
The role of the physiotherapist is to assess and manage people with movement disorders, disability or illness. The aim of the physiotherapist is to help people reach their full potential through health promotion, preventative care, physical intervention, advice and support. This is achieved through helping to improve mobility and strength, reduce pain and restore physical function.
We support women during their pregnancy from conception to full term. Care is shared between musculoskeletal services, including GP practices and local physiotherapy teams. There is information available which you can use to help yourself. You can access a physiotherapist through your GP surgery or by midwife referral.
Keeping fit and active during pregnancy
Exercise can improve the health of you and your baby. Research recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy.
For some women there may be complications that affect their pregnancy and physical activity may not be recommended, so please check with your GP, midwife or women's health physiotherapist before starting a new exercise regime.
Every woman will have a different fitness level before they become pregnant. You should aim to maintain or moderately improve your level of fitness. For uncomplicated pregnancy and low risk pregnancy, physical activity has many important health benefits:
- reduces risk of high blood pressure
- reduces risk of gestational diabetes
- helps you to maintain a healthy weight and return to your pre-pregnancy weight more easily
- reduces your baby’s risk of developing childhood obesity, diabetes and heart disease later in life
- mental health benefits - improves mood, reduces anxiety and stress and improves sleep pattern
- reduces risk of postnatal depression
- increases strength and stamina
- prepares you for labour and delivery
- reduces aches and pains during pregnancy, such as pelvic or back pain
How can I help myself?
- Follow the advice in Fit for Pregnancy (pdf) from POGP (Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy).
- Read Fit and Safe: Exercise in the Childbearing Year (pdf) from POGP.
- Do the exercises in Pilates in Women's Health Physiotherapy (pdf) from POGP.
- Consider websites such as the Active Pregnancy Foundation for ideas and support.
There are many physical conditions which are common in pregnancy. Below are some of the most common with helpful information and advice on management.
Pelvic girdle, back and hip pain
During pregnancy, around 20% of women experience discomfort in their pelvis and hips - Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP). Approximately 50% of women experience back pain.
If your symptoms are affecting your ability to complete everyday activities or to continue working, the following advice and self management resources can help you to manage symptoms and improve your strength and fitness to cope better.
If your symptoms are unmanageable, your midwife, GP or obstetrician can refer you to physiotherapy for further help. Depending on availability, this may be as a class, a phone consultation or face-to-face assessment, and will depend on your needs.
How can I help myself?
- There are various pregnancy-related physiotherapy self management resources accessible via your maternity app - search for physio in the leaflets and resources section.
- There is lots of useful information in Pregnancy Related Pelvic Girdle Pain For mothers to be and new mothers from POGP.
- Read about The Mitchell Method of Simple Relaxation (pdf) from POGP.
- Consider websites such as Pelvic Partnership for help and support.
Abdominal muscle separation
Also known as:
- diastasis recti
- diastasis rectus abdominus muscles
- DRA or DRAM
It is common during pregnancy to develop a gap in your abdominal muscles as your baby grows. It is important to know what advice and exercises to follow postnatally to help manage this. If you have abdominal separation during pregnancy your midwife, GP or obstetrician may refer you to physiotherapy for assessment and to teach you abdominal exercises to maintain your strength until your baby is born.
How can I help myself?
- avoid activities and exercises which cause doming in the middle of your abdomen
- to get out of bed, roll onto your side to avoid putting extra stress on your abdomen
- try tubigrip (which your midwife can provide) or high-waisted maternity clothes to give you some support
Incontinence or prolapse during pregnancy
Incontinence can affect up to 40% of pregnant women and can persist after childbirth in up to 43% of women. It is not normal for incontinence to persist post birth and it can be successfully treated with pelvic floor exercises.
Different foods and drinks, especially those containing caffeine, may irritate and therefore make symptoms of incontinence worse. Constipation can also affect incontinence and straining to open your bowels can weaken your pelvic floor muscles.
Specialist pelvic health physiotherapists can support you with this, during or following your pregnancy. You can access this specialist physiotherapist through your GP surgery or by midwife referral. This will involve teaching you the correct technique for pelvic floor exercises and also lifestyle changes that may help.
How can I help myself?
- Speak to your midwife if you have any concerns regarding incontinence.
- Read more about Promoting continence with Physiotherapy (pdf).
- Read more about Pelvic Organ Prolapse - A physiotherapy guide for women (pdf).
- Download the Squeezy app on your mobile phone.
- Explore online resources for help and support, such as:
- Pelvic Floor and Core Exercises from Continence Foundation of Australia
- How to do your pelvic floor exercises from Jilly Bond
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common problem affecting the wrist and hand during pregnancy. It affects approximately 62% of pregnant women. The symptoms include pins and needles or numbness of the wrist and fingers, wrist pain, reduced grip strength and reduced dexterity (eg difficulty completing intricate tasks such as doing up buttons or tying laces).
The symptoms tend to increase at night and cause sleep disturbance. This is commonly due to fluid (oedema) in the carpal tunnel which increases the pressure on the nerve running through the wrist. If the wrist can be kept neutral and the oedema reduced, the symptoms should ease.
Treatment of this condition involves the use of night splints, advice on avoiding extremes of wrist movements, control of swelling and simple exercises. Your midwife can refer you to orthotics who will issue splints to you. In rare cases, steroid injections are required to ease the symptoms, however this is not usual during pregnancy. In the majority of cases the pain settles after birth.