Should I Do Physical Therapy Postpartum?

Have you ever wondered whether or not to see a Physical Therapist during or even after

pregnancy? If not, you should. Throughout pregnancy your body physically changes to allow

space for the baby to grow.

This is through the release of relaxin. Relaxin is a hormone that promotes muscular and ligament laxity. Thanks to the relaxin, women's stomachs are able to grow with the baby but this causes increased lordosis in the lumbar spine to maintain an upright position. Low back pain can be caused from the increased lumbar lordosis and the best way to reduce back pain is through correcting the musculature with a plan set by a physical therapist.

Even though the abdomen works to return to its pre-pregnancy state, it cannot return to where it

was without some effort. This is where physical therapy comes in. When seeing a physical

therapist you will learn how to correctly improve your core strength to tighten and strengthen the

musculature. Improving your core strength is shown to also decrease back pain by correcting

posture. Without a set strengthening plan a mother's body will not fully return to the way it once

was and may lead to a potential back injury.

So my answer to the question of whether or not you should have physical therapy postpartum is yes!