Everybody loves summer. Children love it because summer usually means the beach and the beach always spells out fun. Mothers love summer too. Sometimes because of the vacations but also because it is the time when many of you welcome your babies into the world. You will often find it hot in pregnancy but it’s eventually all worth it! Summer is not only characterized by rising temperatures, it is also the season for the most births in the United States, particularly during July.

It is estimated that virtually all women experience some degree of musculoskeletal discomfort during pregnancy, and 25% have at least temporarily disabling symptoms. During “baby season,” the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is educating pregnant and postpartum moms about health conditions that can arise during those periods, including low back pain (LBP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

To educate moms and moms-to-be, APTA will hold a tweet chat on July 13 from 1 to 2 p.m. EST to answer questions about LBP, SUI and a variety of other conditions that can result from pregnancy and that physical therapists can treat. Care by a physical therapist can be critical in preventing and treating these conditions since the type and amount of treatments that can be applied during these periods is limited.

“The prenatal and postpartum periods are a time of great change for women physically, emotionally, and hormonally, and musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction is common. But you don’t have to grit your teeth and bear it,” said APTA Media Corps member Jill Boissonnault, PT, PhD, WCS.

Low Back Pain According to one study, LBP affects approximately 50% of pregnant women, forcing nearly 30% of those women to stop performing at least one daily activity over the course of their pregnancies. LBP is also reported in 30% to 45% of women in the postpartum period. Depending on a woman’s specific needs, treatment by a physical therapist typically focuses on reducing discomfort and maintaining function during pregnancy. This may involve recommendations for sleeping positions, exercises to help postural alignment and body balance, exercises to improve strength, mobility and flexibility, and bracing for lower back support. Boissonnault stresses that, “patients who are experiencing low back pain that is preventing them from performing normal daily activities during or after pregnancy should seek the expert advice of a physical therapist.”

Stress Urinary Incontinence While there are different types of urinary incontinence, SUI most commonly affects pregnant and postpartum women. This often under-reported and untreated condition is characterized by involuntary leakage of urine upon effort, exertion, or physical activity. A 2009 study found that SUI affects up to 67% of women during pregnancy and as many as 38% of women during the 3 months following delivery. “Stress urinary incontinence has a severe impact on women emotionally and physically and often impacts women’s ability to exercise. This condition can in itself affect women’s health across their lifespan,” says APTA Member Ruth Maher, PT, DPT, WCS. To help pregnant and postpartum women regain control over their lives and their bladders, physical therapists design individualized treatment plans, which may include exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles and advice on how to change behaviors that contribute to incontinence. “Many women feel that stress urinary incontinence is inevitable postpartum and is a normal part of aging,” said Maher. “I believe this misconception deters women from speaking with their health care providers regarding their incontinence.”

Research has shown that physical therapy has a success rate of more than 80% for individuals with SUI. Additionally, those who engage in physical therapy-led targeted exercise programs for the pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy are less likely to report urinary incontinence late in their pregnancy. Physical therapists educated in the area of women’s health have extensive knowledge about women’s health issues in all stages of life, from childbearing years through the post menopausal period. Visit www.moveforwardpt.com to find a physical therapist in your area and to learn more about these conditions and others that physical therapists treat. As experts in mobility and motion, physical therapists can reduce or eliminate a person’s need for surgery or the long-term use of prescription medications and their side effects, in many cases.

Related articles:

• Baby blues (news.bbc.co.uk)